


The House Of Scarlet

by Black_Lotus



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - No Curse, Attempted Murder, B-Movie Horror Inspired, Boss/Employee Relationship, Brave Rumple, Cameras, Character Death, Cover Art, Dancing, Drug Addiction, Drug Use, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Gold Runs A Porn Site, Horror-Comedy, Hunted, Lingerie, M/M, Minor Character Death, Murder, Mutilation, Older Man/Younger Woman, POV Third Person, People actually like Gold for once, Poetry Use, Porn Website, This sort of sounds darker than it really is, Torture, True Love, guns and knives, porn site
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-08-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:28:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 18
Words: 56,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22391029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Black_Lotus/pseuds/Black_Lotus
Summary: With her father struggling to keep his business running and pay for his daughter's university tuition, Belle is left with two options, either drop out or pay for it some other way. Belle goes for the latter when an invitation to join The House Of Scarlet comes along from the site's House Manager. However, is Belle French cut out to be part of such a website and what happens when a killer gets in?This is a repost of an old fic. To be honest with you it was awful the first time around, full of spelling mistakes and grammar errors. However, I've gone through it, taken out the mistakes and padded the plot to make it more readable and I hope you all enjoy.
Relationships: Aurora/Mulan (Once Upon a Time), Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Hints of GoldenLace, Victor Frankenstein | Dr. Whale/Mad Hatter | Jefferson
Comments: 17
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just FYI this is inspired by the mass produced B-movies we have to suffer through so a lot of the plot is filtered around keeping that vibe alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!  
> While this is a B-movie based thing it will get pretty dark towards the end. For most people I doubt this is going to be a problem but if you do have a particularly squeamish thing about gore or disfigurement (not Belle) then maybe avoid this.

The sun shone high in the sky singling mid-day but the warm sun did nothing to fight off the cold and icy end of the harsh winter chill. Snow still coated the Boston streets in a slowly fading blanket and Belle French couldn't walk to class from her dorm room without a thick knitted scarf and a pair of gloves to fight off Jack Frost. Winter always seemed so magical to children, the anticipation of the holidays and snowball fights, by seventeen or so though the wonder had worn off and winter just became annoying and cold.

Despite having lived in Boston for most of her life Belle still hadn't forgotten the warm soothing heat of Australia, the warm breezes that carried the scent of the sea; when winter rolled around Belle longed for her homeland. Maybe she'd been a bird in a past life, would explain her desire to migrate for the winter.

Chattering echoed all along the gray hallway of her dorm building, she'd been gifted the unfortunate position of being in a middle hall so she got the sound of everyone from all four cardinal direction; clearly she'd drawn the short straw. Girls talked loudly about boys and mid-terms, how they hated whichever girl it was they hated and which teachers they wanted to fuck. Belle didn't like stereotyping places or people but she'd really not had much of a choice when she'd moved in and started university. Every now and again laughing would sound from somewhere but the auburn-haired beauty paid them all little attention.

Normally Belle have been studying or reading a thick book cover to cover for the umteenth time but not that day. No on that chilly Wednesday Belle found herself at her desk with a certain website open; The House Of Scarlet. It was a porn website, that was easy enough to figure out by the title alone. However, the reason Belle was watching it wasn't quite so readily obvious. In truth, the reason wasn't one people would have thought of first, second or even third; she needed to decided if it was the right job for her.

Cerulean orbs peered down from her computer to the jet black business card that lay beside her laptop, someone had kept the design simple but the colors alone made sure everyone knew where it had come from.

Belle studied English Literature and Library Science, had an obsession with books, she was only just over five-foot and had never been particularly outgoing … was  _The House Of Scarlet_ really the place for her? The blue-eyed angel sighed deeply. No, it wasn't, not at all, but Belle didn't really have much choice left. Her Papa couldn't pay her tuition and the mortgage despite what he said and Belle couldn't live with the guilt of putting him under so much stress. Moe French's slight gambling issue hadn't ever helped either. He'd always been the best father he could possibly be for Belle, his beautiful and only child, but when people stopped coming into his flower shop there hadn't much he could do. People now chose the convenience and cheapness of marts and grocery stores instead of paying that little bit more for something not only beautiful but that would last more than the journey home. Belle had always thought her father an artist when it came to floristry, he'd lit up when making an arrangement and Belle had adored watching him. Since her mother had died though it hadn't filled his heart as it once had. 

Belle didn't want to leave her studies, she loved learning, although, it was so much money. So much that could have been spent on keeping a roof over her father's head and gone towards running his business. Not paying her tuition would lift the weight of Atlas off of Moe. 

The young beauty looked back to the site open on her laptop with a sorrowful sigh. It was designed along the same lines as Mister Hatter's business card with a gold border and a list of options down the side in a thick but neat, black font; Log Out, Rooms, Videos, Photos, Multi-Cam, Chat, Play Room Schedule. At the very bottom sat a red box with 'private' in capitals and Belle could only imagine what went on in private mode. In the middle was a large video screen showing off photos of the girls, sliding from one to the other. She had to admit all the girls were beautiful, then again she supposed they had to be if The House of Scarlet was going to turn a profit. At the very top of the screen was the same black lettering sat a list of names; Red, Tinker Bell, Baby, Ariel, Mulan, Princess, Tamara and finally Cruella. Belle wondered what the girls were like, she couldn't know for sure but Belle thought anyone who used the name  _ Cruella _ had to have some sort of evil power thing going on. The very end of the line of names held a single question mark and Belle knew that it would soon hold whatever name she chose. She was still debating over that, because it would hold her name, she knew that much for sure. 

Belle went through the cameras of the girls in varying states of undress, another sigh. They all had so much confidence, even just doing usual daily things like grabbing a bottle of water from the – frankly massive – kitchen. The Australian wouldn't have called herself timid exactly but she certainly wasn't excessively demonstrative either.

"Can I really do this?” She questioned herself. “I have to but can I?" Doubt hung in her mind, horrid little voice that just lingered at the back of her brain unhelpfully. 

It appeared the cameras were in everyone's bedrooms as well the rest of the house, there were two shower cameras too but Belle seriously doubted that there were only two bathroom in a house that size. That knowledge actually brought a smile to Belle's face, knowing that they weren't _forced_ to go about their bathroom routine on camera for all the world to see.

For along time Belle just sat there going back and forth through the mass cameras, it was to be her job and so Belle had to get used to them. When she finally managed to pull together her composure Belle shut the lid of her blue laptop softly and took her cellphone from the pocket of her dark wash jeans. She punched in her four digit pin, her mother's birthday, and scrolled through her contacts list until she found her Papa. The phone rang twice before he answered, his deep voice filled her ears and calmed her nerves.

"Belle, My Girl. How are you? I haven't heard from you in a while."

He sounded so happy to hear from her, and Belle was most certainly pleased to hear his voice. He always managed to sooth her, even without trying. She smiled knowing he'd just say 'I'm you're father, it's my job'.

"I'm good, Papa.” She told him in the happiest tone she could muster. “I actually called to tell you some good news. I got a part time job for one of my Professors." Belle lied smoothly. "Yeah, it's great, with the extra money some friends and I have managed to get an apartment off campus. It's cheaper and there's more room. It's a win-win." Belle did her best to sound like she was excited rather than going to work for a porn website, kept smiling knowing he'd hear the effect it had on her voice on the other end of the line.

Silence lingered for a moment and Belle worried he'd seen straight through her lies.

"Oh Belle, that's wonderful. What's the job? How did you get it?"

"Just little things, organising some books and helping her out, nothing too stressful really. May have to pick up her dry-cleaning once in a while but I can live with that. I'm basically her PA. Then again it's the least I can do since she put in a good word for me on the scholarship."

This was it, the big lie she needed to sell. If Belle could get away with telling Moe that she'd gotten a scholarship then she'd be home free, he'd not question his daughter suddenly having a lot more money and not needing tuition and she'd not have to worry if her Papa could keep paying the mortgage. If she could get away with all that then no one would ever have to know what Belle was really doing.

That silence lingered again and once more Belle panicked through the quietude. Moe French didn't have the first clue on how universities worked so she doubted he'd have some in depth comment but that didn't mean he'd just believe her; unless the relief washed the questions away and by God Belle it did.

"I'm so happy for you, Sweetheart.” _Oh thank Christ,_ her mind screamed. “You know, the French family must have gotten a guardian angel because the shop has been going great lately."

That got a raised eyebrow out of the literature student, every time she'd spoken to her Papa in the last month it had been beyond awful. Maybe things really were looking up for her family, or perhaps they did have a guardian angel. Then again, Belle wasn't about to go looking that particular gift horse in the mouth.

"How about your meetings?" She asked as casually as possible a moment or so later.

At first her father had refused to accept he had a gambling problem, fought her on the subject left, right and centre, but when Belle had told him there was no grocery money yet again because he'd gambled it away Moe French had realized he'd needed help. She smiled, Belle had been so proud of him when he'd admitted that. Moe had been going to meetings ever since and the addiction had steadily gotten easier for him since.

"I haven't skipped any, Angel.” He promised. “I have one tonight actually, seven o'clock I'll be there. Last night I sat with an online casino loaded up for a while and didn't place a single bet, didn't even want to."

"That's fantastic, Papa, but you shouldn't tempt yourself so much."

The call went on like that for a while and Belle actually forgot that she had originally called to lie to him. Moe was just so happy to hear her voice and catch up that Belle felt like everything would turn out alright; that everything was normal. They spoke for a good nintey minutes since they hadn't spoken in almost three weeks, in fact the call only ended when Belle had to go to class.

~X~

A few days later found Belle wrapped up in her white knitted scarf with her luggage waiting at the main gate to be picked up. Her cases were a teal color and one of them was completely dedicated to books, there was a little bit of an obsession going on there but Belle didn't much care.

Other than her scarf Belle wore a little white beret that matched her coat and a long black jumper paired with light blue jeans. She really wished the cold weather would go away and let spring rule the land. _Its not Christmas any more, _she thought as she pulled the business card from her pocket for the millionth time to look at it while she continued to wait.

 _Gold seems to be a running theme, _she thought to herself, _wonder why._ _She could have understood red or pink what with the name being Scarlet but gold seemed somehow odd and perfect all at the same time._ Belle focused her blue orbs on 'The House Of Scarlet' written in beautiful calligraphy, powerful but unassuming. She couldn't help wonder if powerful but unassuming described the entirety of The House, _probably not._

Belle found herself quickly tugged from her thoughts when a pristine black limousine rolled to a halt in front of her, she stuffed the card back in her pocket just as the back passenger window wound down to reveal a handsome, dark-haired man with bright blue eyes and a cheerful but devilish smile. In a way it was nice to see Jefferson again rather than some random guy just sent to pick her up, made her feel like a valued employee rather than a chore. 

"What made you change your mind?" He asked with genuine curiosity in his tone.

"I have my eyes on a new book." She responded with a smile in an attempt to be coy and fun.

Jefferson's smile turned to a gin as he opened the car door and shuffled over so she could sit down beside him. Belle turned back for her, rather large, bags only to find a bald, bearded and short man moving them to the trunk for her;  _and where the hell did he come from?_ Her suspicious didn't last long though when Jefferson introduced the man as Leroy their driver. 'Get in the car, Belle' she heard the handsome man say and it was the jolt she needed to get her to move from the sidewalk. 

The limousine was spacious and upholstered in rich black leather that Belle was sure was worth more than anything she owned. Limos were usually statement cars or prom goers trying to make a night of it but somehow Belle found herself relaxed amongst the display of wealth. 

Not long after the car pulled away from the gate Jefferson started talking about The House Of Scarlet. He kept his tone soft and gentle like he would somehow spook Belle, really where was she going to go, wasn't like she could dive out the car as it hurtled down the street. They were in a moving car and she'd already handed her dorm key in; _I made my choice._

"… Some people will probably think I'm a scum-bag praying on young and beautiful girls like yourself." He began while gesturing with his hands; that devilish smile hadn't gone anywhere. "I'm not. Like my card says I'm the House Manager and that involves knowing the girls personally. Knowing who will cause problems and make a fuss just so there's drama, so I'm also the unofficial talent scout." He chuckled and Belle flashed him a smirk. "It just so happens that it's the young and beautiful girls who have the talent for this line of work. My boss is like the Hugh Hefner of the twenty-first century, you should know that. Mister Gold is a genius and far from what the street would call a _Pimp.”_ _He leant forwards then as they went around a corner and whispered his next sentence conspiratorially. “_Gold doesn't like people knowing this but he _is_ a good man."

Belle found herself smiling again, _Mister Gold huh? Well that explains all the gold writing and the website._ _She felt safer now answers had started to pop up left and right._

"And what about the pay?” Belle began only a little hesitantly. “It sounds too good to be true."

"That is all up to you, Belle. Nothing is forced, you get to do what _you_ want, The House Of Scarlet doesn't have a script, if it did it would be boring. We track every eye on all the girls every moment of the day. If you bring in money you get rewards. If you have an off week then it drops back down to base pay … but you _still get paid_." He emphasised the last sentence. "Everything and every _one_ you do is up to you."

Belle liked that, no one decided her fate but her, despite what she was signing up to do Belle would still have a choice and that made her feel a whole lot better about the situation. She already liked Jefferson and Belle was sure she'd like Mister Gold to. Having her own choices still intact made her feel safe and at ease, maybe she could do this job after all. There was something that worried her though.

"What about, you know, stalking? Crazy people?" She asked cautiously.

"Gold made sure that The House Of Scarlet is the most secure site of its kind. Gold has a whole off site team of techs who monitor the site constantly. They are the ones who make sure the site can't be hacked, breached or anything else."Jefferson looked down to his cellphone for a moment, thumbs moving quickly and then he was speaking again."Guys, say hello to Belle."

The dark-haired man turned the phone around so Belle could see the screen, there were three men in what looked like a basement office grinning at a webcam.

"Hello Belle." Said three men in unison.

She waved at the screen for a second or two and gave the three geeks a smile. The men were surrounded by servers, monitors and a load of other technical stuff that Belle hadn't even seen before. Mister Gold had a team constantly watching over the site, he really must have had the girls' safety down and a priority and rightly so.

"That's Sidney Glass, Isaac Heller and August Booth, they're the ones that make The House Of Scarlet the Fort Knox of websites." He glanced out the window and then looked back to Belle with his beautiful blue-eyes. "Take a breath Belle, we're here."

The car rolled to a gentle stop stop and Belle stepped out the car with Jefferson right behind her. She gasped upon seeing the house she would soon call home. There was a thick natural looking wall that lined the whole property in the middle of nowhere, the house itself was a large, almost excessively so, and though clearly modern it somehow managed to retain an older, more Victorian manor house, vibe. The fact that the place was salmon colored was a little strange as well but maybe that was by design? The huge porch with a swing seat drew Belle's attention, she could easily imagine cuddling up there and listening to the birds in the summer warmth with a good book. Much to her own surprise she could see herself being happy here already. It might have been unexpected but it wasn't unwelcome. 

Out front near where they'd come to a stop on the driveway sat a small and unassuming shed-like building from which two rugged men appeared and came towards them. One was taller than the other but both looked fit and ready for anything. The taller one had a beard and a waistcoat that Belle thought would have looked more at home on a small town sheriff.

"Ahh, just the men I needed to see,” began Jefferson as he shoved his phone away, "Belle, this is Gold's chief of security Graham Humbert and his capable deputy Robin Locksley. Will Scarlet must be doing his rounds. Don't worry, Belle, with these three hunks in charge of Security you have nothing to worry about.” 

Belle shook their hands with a smile as they greeted her, she couldn't help but note the perfect level of European accents going around and Belle found herself loving it. English, Irish, what could make it better? Maybe a Scott to complete the set?

"You won't have to worry here, Belle." Said Graham with a smile and a cheery tone. "We have little to no problems here. We only have to turn one or two people away every few months. That only happens if they manage to follow one of the girls home."

"No one gets passed us." Added Robin assuredly.

"We'll let you get back to it boys." Jefferson told the guards before he guided Belle towards The House.

Belle loved the front door with its little squares of colored glass, she would bet that when the sun shone through the door it lit up the vestibule with a gorgeous ocean of light.

_(Any room with a red X is a private room with no camera)_

Leroy passed them in the vestibule and headed straight through into the living room on her left and up the stairs with her cases; clearly not a very chatty man. The staircase was made of a dark cherry wood and led up to a landing that looked down over the living room. Never in her life had Belle seen a house quite like this one and she'd only seen one and a half rooms. For a moment she'd silently questioned why they needed a living room quite so large but then it had dawned on her, there was an army of girls living in the house. 

Jefferson led Belle into the living room through a large arch to her left and Belle discovered that every effort – and an awful lot of money – had gone into making The House of Scarlet beautiful. The room had a dark hardwood flooring topped with a large black sectional that looked up to a wall mounted television above a roaring fire, Belle could feel the warmth and it brought a grin to her face. She could see through to the kitchen via another archway and it looked equally clean and perfect; Belle suspected she could quickly grow to like it there.

"We have over sixty cameras." Jefferson explained as he gestured to a camera up on the wall giving a full view of the room. "We have them all over because it gives the viewers a sense of actually getting to know you all, being part of it. None of the cameras are in the bathrooms except two, one on the ground floor by the gym and one upstairs near the back staircase. Though they're there you don't _have_ to use that one if you don't want. There's no cameras on the right side of the house past the back staircase either as it's what we like to call 'the boy's wing' it's got Gold's room, his office, my office as well as Victor's and my bedroom. Gold's library is up there too.”

"Library?" Belle's eyes brightened.

"Yeah,” the House Manager nodded. “Gold set it up so the girls have somewhere just for them, there's a private sitting room as well on the other side of the dining room."

"Wonderful!" Then Belle remembered what Jefferson had said and her brow furrowed. "Wait who is Victor?"

"I am." Came a deep voice from behind her. Belle spun round to find a tall blonde man with sparkling blue eyes as he took long strides through the vestibule and into the living room. "I'm Victor Whale, the live in doctor here."

Doctor Whale held out his hand for her to shake and Belle took it quickly, his hands were pale and calloused. He flashed her a smile and Belle took an instant liking to the doctor. He seemed like a loyal man to her, someone who would fight for someone he cared about no matter what, even if it made him seem bad to people on the outside. Belle was not often wrong about what she found in people's eyes and she hoped it was no different now.

"Gold likes to know you girls are well taken care of. With me you have fantastic medical care, I assure you." He grinned.

Yes, she really did like Victor. He was the perfect level of cocky and sweet. There was however one thing that worried her a little.

"So you two just live here … with a group of sexy young girls … all the time?" Her tone was more teasing than concerned and Victor found himself chuckling.

"It's alright, you have nothing to worry about." Began Jefferson but was interrupted quickly by Doctor Whale.

"We're gay." As if to prove that fact Victor leaned in and kissed the dark-haired House Manager deeply.

"You'd better be after that kiss." Hummed Jefferson happily.

Belle smiled at Jefferson's words, she had to admit they made a very cute couple. Jefferson cuddled into his husband's chest as the blonde pressed a kiss to his lovers mop of dark hair. Victor stood ever so slightly taller than his lover, Belle guessed that few people would ever notice that but with Belle being so short she had a great sense for height.

The new girl had gotten completely lost in her thoughts until she saw a beautiful young woman in a cherry red pair of shorts and a black tank top matched with six-inch ankle boots approach, Belle suddenly felt mouse-like in her teal converse; _I have to put my he_ _e_ _ls on the second I get to my room._

This girl all in red stunning beyond belief and was totally at ease with the mass of camera's that littered the house, she was in her element. Belle hoped this woman's courage rubbed of on her.

"Do you see how different we are from the basic sites out there? Has Jefferson given you the _we're the Fort Knox of websites_ yet?" Belle nodded with a polite smile. "Oh, how rude of me, I'm Red. Nice to meet you."

Before Belle could say or even think a single word this Red character had pulled Belle into a hug, all the auburn-haired beauty noticed was a faint scent of apples and cinnamon coming from her hair.

"My real name is Ruby." She whispered into Belle's ear and then pulled back.

"I'm B-Lacey."

"Great name.” She chuckled. “Why don't you say hello to the boys." Ruby gestured up to one of the living room cameras mounted high up on the wall.

"Hey."

Belle tried to look confident as she waved to the God only knew how many people that were watching her at that very moment. _You can do this, Belle!_ Suddenly Ruby clapped her hands together and spoke with an excited grin.

"Well, I think its tour time!"

Victor pressed his lips to Jefferson's plump pink ones once more before welcoming Belle, or Lacey as they would now refer to her, to The House and then took his leave back the way he'd come. Ruby took charge after that, seemed to take great pride in taking Belle though The House with Jefferson just a few steps behind them, every now and again she'd point out new rooms; the most surprising of which was the sauna. _A sauna? They have a sauna?_ Soon enough Ruby came to a smaller staircase, past what she'd learnt was Victor's office, that hugged the wall and was made of the same dark wood as the set of stairs Belle had seen upon entering the house, _mansion_ _more like,_ added Belle's mind unhelpfully.

She followed the scantily dressed woman down the long central hallway on the ground floor, past a fairly sized room she learnt was a private sitting room and through a set of glass doors into the gym. One wall had been entirely lined with mirrors while the others had been painted a Persian green that gave the room a strange naturalness. Various gym equipment lay dotted about the vast room but what had really caught Belle's attention was the young Asian woman working out over by the punch bag as well as a purple clad girl running on one of the treadmills. 

Ruby bounded over to her fellow House Girls and lent against the treadmill. Neither woman stopped in their motion, just carried on punching and jogging.

"Mulan, Princess, our new recruit arrived." Sang Ruby happily.

"Oh, hello." The dark-eyed woman panted as she stilled the punch bag's movements and turned to face Belle. "Welcome aboard, I'm Mulan."

"Lacey.” Belle thrust her hand out as she introduced herself but no one made any attempt to shake it. “It;s nice to meet you, and thanks."

Mulan had smooth skin and long dark-hair tied back in a tight ponytail, so stunningly beautiful but there wasn't any mistaking the power inside her. It was clear that she could do some serious damage if she wanted to and in that moment Belle made a mental note to stay on Mulan's good side,  _I like my face arranged the way it is thank-you-very-much._

"And I'm Princess." The woman on the treadmill gave Belle a little wave.

"Let me know if I can help you with settling in, if I'm not in my room I'm probably here." Mulan gestured to the room around them.

It was only then that Belle noticed the camera mounted up in the far corner, Belle had actually forgotten about the thousands of eyes on her and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

"Thank you, that's very kind."

Jefferson suddenly piped up which made Belle jump a little, to be honest she'd forgotten he was there since he hadn't looked up from his phone since Ruby started her tour. As House Manager he was probably always dealing with one thing or another. 

"Mulan brings in the main girl on girl viewers with the help of Princess here." He smirked. 

_Good to know,_ Belle hadn't thought she'd have to do anything like that, she had no attraction towards women at all and started to panic a little until she remembered what Jefferson had said on the drive over; ' _nothing is forced_ _'_ _,_ _'_ _it_ _'_ _s all up to you_ _'_ _._ With the memory of those words Belle calmed herself down. She couldn't go losing her nerve now, that _wasn't_ an option.

"Yeah, don't go stealing our act." Giggled Princess.

With that Mulan went back to her punch bad and Princess hopped off the treadmill then vanished off to get a shower in the locker room. The House Manager and Ruby led Belle back up the hall, past the play room – a place Belle didn't think she was quite ready for - and through into the kitchen. Equally modern as the gym and living room with a large window that looked into the sunroom; the auburn-haired beauty couldn't wait for summer and sitting in there with a thick book. 

Belle's head snapped up to a slender woman with shoulder length dark-hair and a unfriendly vibe about her, she munched away on a red apple as she glanced at Belle with all the attention one would give a fly buzzing around her their face. 

"Who are you?" It was more of a demand that a question and Belle found Ruby answering for her.

"This is Lacey, the new recruit."

"Be nice to her, Tamara." Jefferson added without looking up from his cellphone.

 _ Ahh, so that's Tamara, The House Of Scarlet's resident bitch.  _ _From what Belle had seen on the website she hadn't been able to figure out why Tamara was at The House of Scarlet, then it had dawned on her this disinterested dominant thing worked for_ _some guys._

"She looks like a librarian." Tamara sneered before taking another bite out of her apple then simply strutted out the kitchen like she didn't have a care in the world.

A moment or two past before Ruby rested a comforting hand on Belle's shoulder and spoke reassuringly.

"That's Tamara, and she thinks you're competition. You should take it as a complement."

Belle was no match for her, not really. Tamara was gorgeous and elegant looking with an edge of rebellion like she was the villain of some fairytale while Belle was just … well she was just Belle. Plain old Belle, frankly she still couldn't quite believe that Jefferson had taken notice of her let alone given her his card and a job offer. While Belle knew she certainly wasn't ugly she'd never thought herself all that prepossessing. That could change though, this place would be good for her confidence and if Jefferson thought Belle could do this then she needed to start having some confidence in herself. 

Soon Belle found herself led out of the house to a gargantuan pool via the patio doors and she did have to ask herself if this house went on forever, the entire house had no end of stunning sights; like living in heaven. Technically this would be her workplace but whoever had designed The House of Scarlet truly had an eye for detail, had made it a home not just a whorehouse. Before she could get much further with her thoughts a hand was thrust in her line of sight by yet another stunningly beautiful redhead and the brightest smile Belle had ever seen. _Seriously, where does Jefferson find these girls?_ Mentally shaking herself Belle shook the cheerful redhead's hand.

"I'm Ariel, so glad you're here. I love it when we get new people." Ariel spoke quickly as if demonstrating her excitement.

Just like with Victor, Jefferson and Ruby, Belle took an instant liking to Ariel and found herself quite happy to discover she had so many natural friends at The House Of Scarlet. Tamara might have been standoffish and disinterested but that didn't mean all the girls were, don't judge a book and all that.

Ruby asked Ariel where the others were while Belle glanced around the vast garden, she vaguley heard the redhead say something about bedrooms before she went back to sunbathing by the huge curved pool in her little pink bikini. This was it, she was going to be shown to her room and Belle would finally start work at The House of Scarlet, she'd be one of them, Lacey would be added to the list of girls on the website and the game would truly begin. 

Belle's feet started to yell at her as they climbed the main stairs to the second floor, her feet seemed to think she'd walked a mile around the house. As they climbed the stairs they passed Doctor Whale who informed his lover that Cruella had left a few moments ago and meeting her would have to wait,  _not that it_ _'_ _s a bad thing_ he'd mumbled under his breath before vanishing off towards his office. Belle found herself wondering if Cruella was worse than Tamara, Belle decided it was best not to think of that.

Suddenly the red clad woman came to a halt before a large white wooden door that had a green glittery 'T' on it. For a moment the auburn-haired Australian thought she was back at her dormitory.

"Don't worry, it's only Tink and Baby left and then that's all of us." Ruby told her before she pushed the lettered door open.

On the other side was a blonde with her hair piled up on her head in a bun and in nothing but her emerald lingerie sat before her computer. "Sorry Tink, didn't know you were doing a show, just wanted to introduce you to Lacey."

"Hey, Lacey." Greeted Tink without taking her eyes from her computer screen, there was a ping and Tink smiled. "Oh yeah, girls you're going to want to leave the room for this next bit."She informed them as she began to unclasp her delicate bra.

Ruby shut the door quickly and glanced up at Jefferson for a second with a look that said _you talk for once, I've done everything else!_ He must have understood because his voice soon filled the long hallway and his phone got shoved into his inner breast pocket.

Jefferson cleared his throat. "Tink is rather popular with businessmen so she's normally busy at lunch and when everyone gets home from work." He explained. "Tink's very sweet though … not when she's working."

With that he turned around, walked to the end of the hall and knocked on the door to his left. It was made of the same white painted wood but held a 'B' in yellow glitter, Belle sensed a theme and looked down back the way they'd come to prove her hypothesis. As she expected there hung a 'R' in red on the middle door that Belle assumed was Ruby's room, opposite that was a pink 'A' then a 'M' in silver all the way at the other end; no doubt all the other girls had one of these letters as well though she didn't see how it had become a thing. Just as Belle turned her attention back to the door in question a young blond pulled it open. Her hair hung damp around her innocent face and only a towel covered her porcelain skin. 

"Baby this is Lacey." Said Jefferson in a _here's your topic, discuss_ style tone.

"Ah, fresh meat. It's about time we had some of that. Welcome." Baby smiled. "I'd love to stay and chat but I have a show to do. Lacey, you want to grab a drink later?" She asked with a raise of her eyebrows.

Belle nodded and a drink sounded great before, it would be nice to get to know everyone. The door closed then, only to open again a half second later.

"Em, Jefferson, I don't want to sound like I'm nagging but Gold still hasn't paid me for that threesome last week."

A look of realisation crossed the House Manager's face while Belle let the word 'threesome' settle in, she supposed this sort of conversation was normal for The House of Scarlet.

"I'm so sorry Baby, Gold doesn't even know about that yet. I forgot to tell him, don't worry, I'll deal with that now for you."

Baby smiled and shut the door again, Jefferson gave them his apologise and then departed quickly, his phone half way out his pocket before he'd even reached the end of the hall.

Ruby chuckled. "As you can gather that was Baby, she gets all the Sugar Daddy action because she still looks like she's fifteen. She may look sweet and innocent but she's _really_ not."

"How old is everyone then?" Asked Belle curiously.

"Cruella is the eldest, she's twenty-seven, then it's Ariel at twenty-six. Tamara's twenty-five. Mulan, Princess and Tink are all twenty-three. I'm twenty-one and Baby turned nineteen not too long ago." She smiled. "Why?"

"Oh it's nothing. Just... well I expected all of you to be no older that twenty-one.” Belle shrugged. “Don't really know why."

"Well, how old are you?"

"Twenty-one."Belle answered with a smile, in hindsight she'd probably expected every one to be from off campus and so that meant them all being her age or younger.

Belle had never expected to find people who had made a real career at The House Of Scarlet. Cruella and Tamara had clearly been at The House a long time, would she still be there when she turned twenty-seven? 

Ruby drew the newcommer's attention then by pushing the door directly opposite Baby's room open, both stepped inside the letter-less room. Belle knew that soon it would hold an 'L' for the name she'd chosen. Her suitcases rested softly on the large bed, larger than any she'd ever slept in. In fact the whole room was larger than any bedroom she'd come across, at the very end of the wall adjacent to the white door was a desk and Belle found herself looking around for the little black camera, it only took a second to find perched above her door like the raven above the pallid bust of pallas.

"You're right next to me, so if you need anything you know where I am."

Ruby wore one of those smiles that filtered into her dark eyes and Belle knew that the other girl was trying to comfort her, thankfully it worked... a little anyway. This was to be Belle's room, no, Lacey's room. Belle didn't belong there but maybe Lacey could.

“Your camera isn't on yet so we can talk freely at the moment.” Ruby went and sat herself on Belle's bed. “Mulan, Cruella, Ariel and Tink don't use their real names at all, not sure why, but they don't. As for me, Baby and Princess as soon as we're outside or off camera we revert to our actual names. Like I said, I'm Ruby but you should know the other girls as well. Baby's real name is Ashley and Princess' is Aurora. No guesses for why we call her Princess. Also, a word of advice, avoid Cruella and Tamara when possible.” 

“They that bad?” Belle questioned hesitantly.

Ruby shrugged. “Not, bad exactly but they are _not_ going to be your friend, or mine, or anyone else's. Don't worry though, you've got me.”

That got a smirk out of Belle until a thought hit her. "Where did Jefferson go?"

"Hmm? Oh, the right side of the second floor is the boy's wing like we said, Jefferson and Gold have their offices down there. The library is also down there.” Belle lit up at the mention of the library. “Basically that half of the house has no cameras nor does Victor's office or the sitting room down stairs. Everywhere else though is cameras galore. Oh! Apart from the basement and the attic since they're mostly just storage.” Belle felt reassured at the reminder that there were several off camera spaces, and a library too, what could be better … _not_ _doing_ _it at all_ Belle's mind told her quickly much to her displeasure. "Most of the time you won't notice Gold or Jefferson are here. We see Victor more since he's our doctor but he tries to stay out of the way as well. The cameras are here to watch the sexy young girls, not a middle aged man and a couple of loved up gay guys; there are other websites for that.” Ruby joked. “Gold can be ruthless and a monster at times but he never ever does anything to hurt us, the only us. I've _ever_ heard him yell at Cruella and she had it coming, well, it was more hissing through his teeth really. To be honest he makes us all feel safe. He takes care of us. You'll get over his gruff and standoffish attitude eventually.” She clapped her hands together then and pushed herself up from Belle's bed in favor of going to the half open door. “Anyway, I'll let you settle in."

With that and a friendly wave Ruby left Belle alone with nothing but her thoughts, her Papa would never approve of The House Of Scarlet, _never_ , not for one second. However, it was the only way she could still go to school without her father going bankrupted, if she made as much money as Jefferson had said she would then Belle would even be able to help him with the mortgage. Oh how she longed for that. Moe French had raised her alone after her mother died, helping him when he needed her was the very least she could do. Moe was her father after all.

Didn't take Belle long to decide to lead herself out of her thoughts, if she thought of her father too long then she'd start to second guess herself and she'd already done that ten or so times. She turned her mind down a different road entirely and onto the mysterious Mister Gold, she imagined a man who looked much like Jefferson did but with less product in his hair, she knew he'd be older than Jefferson Hatter but other than that Belle knew nothing about Mister Gold. The man was truly a mystery, maybe she should have found out who she'd be working for before accepting the job. Still both Ruby and the House Manager had been quite positive about him so Belle hoped she had little to worry about. 

With a sigh Belle indulged in her musing as she started to unpack and set up her new life at The House Of Scarlet. Cerulean orbs flashed up at the camera that hadn't been turned on yet, she could do this, only Belle decided her fate and this was what she'd decided.


	2. Chapter 2

Belle woke early in the morning practically face down in her pillow; she'd got a habit of rolling around in her sleep. She couldn't quite decide if it was the nerves or the tweeting of birds out in the trees that had woken her, maybe a bit of both, Belle didn't know. What she knew for sure though was that she needed to take a shower and get dressed. Do I even own anything appropriate for here? Yes, she could find something she assured herself as she sat herself up and brushed away the last of sleep from her stunning eyes.

She hopped out of bed and grabbed her toiletries bag quickly then went to one of the off camera bathrooms – the smaller one opposite the back staircase – and showered. Warm steam filled the room and prepared her for the day. Belle washed her skin lightly as she saw the white, almond scented, lava slip down her body and onto the shower floor where it was washed away. All her worries seemed to slip away into an illusion as the steam worked her pores open. Pure water permeated through her hair darkening it to blackness and made her head heavy, not that she minded much. It felt as if the water guided her head back to let all her concerns roll off her and down the plug hole. How could a simple shower be so freeing? Just another question Belle no longer cared about. The shower eventually had to end though and Belle wrapped herself in a fluffy towel to dry off, her auburn hair bounced back into loose curled like it hadn't ever been wet.

As Belle made her way back along the halls to her room she could have sworn she caught a glimpse of, who she assumed, was the mysterious Mister Gold as he rounded a corner in 'the boy's wing'. The man had been in a jet black suit with dark-hair that brushed his shoulders so it had to have been him. She'd almost wanted to follow and introduce herself until Belle realized that greeting her boss in nothing but a towel early in the morning was probably not the best idea. Instead of perusing him Belle padded barefoot back into her nice warm room where she flung open her closet in search of something suitable for The House Of Scarlet and tried to push Mister Gold from her mind. It took her a while of debate and several moments of tapping her foot with her arms folded across her chest but eventually the auburn-haired beauty found something she liked. Out came her high-waisted bubble skirt that she adored so much, when she'd first bought the azure skirt she'd wondered if it was too short but that wasn't something that mattered now. A white blouse followed the skirt out Belle's new closet and then a jet black halter-neck waistcoat with little gold buttons.

She was immensely glad the camera in her room hadn't been turned on yet because she wasn't quite ready to be watched as she tried to dress. Belle paused when she got to the white blouse and looked at it a moment, there wasn't anything special about it since it was just a regular blouse but somehow the fabric seemed wrong. In a sudden fit of what would Lacey do, she set it aside and instead only donned the little waistcoat. It was warm enough in the house to forgo the blouse and this could be her first step towards that extra confidence she'd wanted; dipping her toe as it were. Belle had to start somewhere after all.

She slipped over to the vanity and lined her eyes in subtly black liner that she paired with peach lipstick which matched her nails. The beauty combed through her hair and decided to let it hang loose and caress her naked shoulders, a silly way of adding an extra layer to her skin without actually doing so. Only one thing remained so Belle made her way back over to the closet and pulled out a pair of black killer heels with a thin ankle strap that crossed over the front of her foot and had a tiny gold buckle holding them in place. Belle was pleased to have some hight back, the converse the day before had made her feel so small around Ruby and the others, she'd always been a bit sensitive about her height but if confidence was going to start anywhere it was with her shoes.

With a deep and calming breath she left her room and made her way casually downstairs, as she took the first step she saw Victor appear at the bottom, he smiled and Belle returned it as she approached him. That man could just pop up out of nowhere when he wanted to it seemed.

"Lacey, just the girl I needed to see.” He said with a smile. “I was actually just coming to look for you."

"Well, here I am." It amazed Belle at just how comfortable she was with the blond doctor despite only having met him the night previous. "What do you need?"

"Gold asks that all the new girls have an exam before they go to work.” He told her as she descended the back staircase. “Just to make sure you're healthy and all that."

Victor spoke politely but Belle was smart enough to read between the lines, I need to make sure you don't have any STD's or STI's was what he really meant. Belle couldn't blame him or Gold though, not really, it was the sort of thing they needed to know about in case any law suit suddenly popped up or something along those lines.

She nodded. "Sure, Victor. Anything you need."

Belle knew he was innocently doing his job but Belle was only just out of being a virgin. Not that anything she and Gaston had done could be considered sex, it was more like thirty seconds of depression she regretted. Still she followed Victor around the stairs to the first door on their left. Her brow furrowed deeply when she saw a corridor she'd not been shown on her tour yesterday; How bid is this place? She knew the door on her right went to the garage but she'd not got the first clue where the tiny hallway lead. Victor must have been a mind reader because he suddenly spoke.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to the size and the layout of the house. It's just the side door and Security's break room down there, Gold wanted to keep them out of the way of the cameras as much as possible."

With that Doctor Whale opened the door to his office and let Belle go ahead of him like a perfect gentleman. The room had been painted a dark gray and held a small desk at an angle over to the right of the room while the rest seemed full of filing cabinets. There was a large window in the middle of the far wall just like in most of the rooms and Belle wondered for a moment why there was no blind, wouldn't kill to have some privacy at least while a doctor was looking at her. That was answered a few seconds later though when Victor walked over to the door on their left and pushed it open to reveal his exam room. Once more she questioned the window but ground to a halt when it suddenly turned opaque. Belle smiled, this was smart glass! Belle hadn't ever seen it in person before, just on television when someone was having a conference. With the window frosted Belle felt a lot more comfortable being there for an exam.

"Just hop up on the table for me, would you?" Belle did as asked and Victor spoke next as he started his exam. "I know this wasn't how you wanted to spend your morning-"

"It's alright." She cut him off in a soft tone.

It was strange to have a man she'd only just met giving her a medical exam of her most private parts, I work for a porn website now. I don't think any of me is private any longer. Victor was kind and made no sudden moves, he was probably used to new girls being nervous or maybe he just had a naturally wonderful bedside manner. After a short while he folded her azure skirt back down and helped Belle off the table; which wasn't easy in such high heels.

"Well, you look to be in perfect working order." He chuckled as he took off his gloves. "All I need you to do now is fill this in."

He handed her a sheet of paper and a pen on a clipboard and gave her time to fill it out. It was the standard questions, do you have any allergies? Any mental or physical disorders? Is there any history of Asthma in your family? Just the usual and Belle filled it out a lot faster than she thought she would. Blue eyes made sure to check she hadn't gotten anything wrong before Belle handed it back to the blond doctor.

"Is that it? It didn't seem too drastic."

"I'll take that as a complement." He shot her a cocky grin that seemed to be his factory setting. "But yeah, that is everything for now. Gold asks that you have check ups on a monthly basis. It's more to take care of you and make sure you're healthy than anything else." Belle knew he spoke the truth. "If you have any other problems though, just come to me. I live here so, you know, I'm always around."

"Thank you, Victor."

Whale shrugged. "It's what I'm here for."

~X~

The hour had grown late when the girls decided it was dinner time, Ruby and Ariel had all but demanded Chinese food and so Belle found herself sat on the floor around a huge glass coffee table in the living room with all the other girls munching away happily and chatting about everything and anything.

Cruella was, however, still absent and if not for seeing her name on the website Belle would have believed she'd never existed. Tamara had simply taken her food and stormed off to her room, what was her problem? Jefferson and Victor had gone out for dinner and Gold had not emerged from his office since Belle arrived, maybe he's avoiding me she thought with a smile, but really what reason would he have for that?

The red clad woman and Ashley had flanked Belle, it was rather peaceful; she genuinely had been made to feel welcome.

" … when I found out how much I could make here I just dropped out of university, didn't see the point." Ariel shrugged and took another bite of her Lo Mein.

"You dropped out, I took the job to get in." Began Ruby before pausing to take a sip of beer. "Jefferson found me in Reno."

"As a stripper?" Belle asked without her mind giving her permission to do so.

"Nah, as a seriously underpaid waitress."

They all laughed and Belle thanked any and all Gods that Ruby hadn't taken offence to her blurted comment. When the chortling died down Aurora shared her own story. That was when Belle realized this was a sort of ritual they had for the new House Girls.

"Jefferson found me right here in the city, I studied fashion history and thanks to Gold and being here I actually got a degree."

Belle felt a new wave of relief drift over her knowing that Aurora had actually gotten to finish university, it gave Belle the knowledge that she would certainly get her own degree; that was the goal after all. When her mind came back to the room around her Tink had started speaking, hearing the stories really had helped Belle and they'd only just started.

"My go? My life really sucked, I worked in a coffee shop in Phoenix and Jefferson just slipped me his card when he paid.” The blonde smiled at the memory. “Read the card, got curious and a week later I was here. Best decision I ever made to be honest with you."

Jefferson had selected these girls by hand from all over the country and Belle could see Jefferson had made sure the house had a wide range of personalities; the outgoing, the lesbians, the innocent, the high roller, the cheerful and, yes, the bad girls. What was Belle to be she wondered, or more correctly who was Lacey to be?

"Jefferson just came across you all? Like fate?" Belle's brow furrowed a little in puzzlement.

"Jefferson didn't find me." Baby pipped up as she finishing her beer – that she shouldn't have been drinking – and helped herself to a spring roll. "Gold did. My Step-Mom kicked me out. Didn't know what I was going to do and then it started snowing and I thought I was dead. Gold found me as he left an antiques store, fell over me is more like it." Everyone smiled like they knew something Belle didn't. "He fed me and told me I could stay here, he didn't want me to work for him, just be out of the snow. After the second night I went to his office and told him I wanted to work for him, that was three years ago now."

"You were sixteen?"

Belle was shocked, after all the good she'd heard of Mister Gold, sixteen was far too young for such a website.

"What?! No, he wouldn't let me start working for him until I turned eighteen,” Ashley amended quickly, “said I had to take baby steps, that's how I chose my name. The rest of the time I was here I worked as his assistant. I think he wanted me to make sure I was certain."

Belle's heart relaxed again and she found herself growing ever increasingly more curious about the extraordinary Mister Gold. Most people probably heard 'middle-aged man who runs a porn site' and made their judgements, frankly Belle had done the same at first but she'd grown to see there was so much more to him; damn, she hoped she got to meet him soon since her imagination had started to run away with her.

"What about you?" Asked Tink with a smile and sparkling eyes.

Belle paused a moment, unsure how much she wanted to tell them, did she really want these girls and whoever was watching on the living room cameras to know her father was a struggling florist with a gambling problem? No, no she didn't, but Belle didn't wish to lie to them either. In the end she settled for just the basics.

"Well, I study English literature and library science, but my Papa can't afford my tuition and his shop as well so here I am."

"And your Mother?" Questioned Aurora as she took a bite of her noodles.

The auburn-haired Australian paled a moment but managed to recover quickly.

"She died when I was nine." Belle's tone hung heavy with sorrow.

After so long Belle still hurt mentioning her Mama. She supposed it always would, she could move on and continue with her life but the pain wouldn't ever truly be gone.

"I'm sorry, I know what that's like."

Surprisingly it was Mulan who spoke, Belle had thought she was the reserved and almost solider-like one but in that single sentence Belle learnt that yes, Mulan was both those things but she also had a heart, and that knowledge brought a half smile to Belle's cherry glossed lips. She'd half worried that all the girls would be like Tamara and Cruella but instead she'd found a group of young women who weren't only welcoming but happy to be her friend.

"Alright, that's enough sad talk I think it's time to get naked."

Belle's blue-eyes snapped up to Ruby but she seemed to be the only one shocked by the sudden comment, the others had obviously gotten used to it. The girls wished her luck with her show – not that a woman as stunning as Ruby would need luck – and let her head off up to her bedroom for her show.

For the rest of dinner they chatted and laughed. Belle had expected them to play things up for the cameras and while, yes, they did occasionally pose questions to the viewers and had a laptop sat so they could answer any message the members sent there hadn't been any … performing. In truth the whole atmosphere had been fairly relaxing.

~X~

A few hours later Belle found herself in nothing but her black underwear and a sky blue shirt sat before her laptop, The House Of Scarlet website set up and proud on the screen. Her room's camera hadn't been turned yet but Belle could see the name she'd chosen neatly listed with the others on the site's home page. Curiously she clicked on her name expecting to find some sort of coming soon page but instead she was surprised to discover her webcam active. Jefferson had brought her the laptop late on before she'd gone to bed the previous day and let her know that Gold made sure all the girls had a work laptop instead of using their personal ones; smart, further prevented hacking and provided them a sense of privacy. However, it appeared this one was already up and running, she'd been on camera since she'd opened the lid. Jefferson probably should have mentioned that.

Suddenly she realized she sat there in her underwear and a shirt, her very first instinct was to slam the lid shut and pull her shirt tighter around her but the twenty-one year old forced that instinct away. She couldn't go shying away from this; it was her job. Belle took a calming breath and readied herself. Do the brave thing and bravery will follow, she told herself before letting the blue shirt slip down her shoulders seductively and turned on the chat box.

"Okay boys, here I am."

Belle tried to sound brave though it didn't reach her eyes, let alone to her heart. She'd been just about to loose her nerve when a squeak caught her attention, she glanced up to see Ruby, Ashley and Ariel stood supportively outside her door; seemed they'd noticed her webcam was on as well or at least had noticed that she'd noticed. Ashley mouthed 'you can do it' before Belle tuned her attention back to the laptop with a smile and a renewed sense of confidence. The auburn-haired goddess tried to keep calm but her nerves shivered through her body to her very soul despite the new confidence that surged through her. Seconds later Belle heard Ariel shoo the other two girls away back to their rooms and shut the door behind them. Belle was thankful to somewhat lessen the audience she had. Belle, no Lacey sat there for a while waiting and forcing her nerves away until suddenly there was ping after ping, a soft and gentle noise really but it seemed so loud in her silent room. Then another ping and another after that.

PRINCE: You must be the new girl.

JH1886: Show us what ya got rookie

DADDYDOM12: Lacey huh? That had better be because of your panties. Got any tricks for us, 'lil one?

Much to Belle's surprise she found herself chuckling, be brave Belle, be Lacey. With that she banished her nerves and worries and reminded herself what Ruby had told her earlier that day, It's just you and your screen, that's it.

"No tricks boys, but maybe a treat or two." She flashed them – what she hopped was – a charming smirk.

Once the very last of her doubt had been banished Belle-Lacey stood and clicked on some music before she moved to the foot of her bed, her hips swayed back and forth freely, completely unaware that throughout the house the girls were probably logged on to her room watching her very first impromptu show, just to see how she would do. Hell, Jefferson and Victor, who'd returned from their evening meal rather loudly, undoubtedly knew about this show by now and likely sat together, a laptop open so they could watch for the exact same reason the other girls were.

Unbeknownst to Belle that was exactly what the doctor and House Manager did. The couple sat naked in their bed after some fun of their own, Victor's back up against the headboard with his chest to Jefferson's back and his arms wound around the man he loved. Jefferson had sat his laptop on his outstretched legs so they could both see the second Ruby had sent him a message.

"I don't know Jeff,” started Victor a little hesitantly as he pressed kisses to his husband's neck, “she seems a little stiff."

"Giver her a minute, it's her first time. She's not even on the clock technically. She's not signed her contract with Gold yet.”

Jefferson looked over to the camera viewers list and was pleased to find Lacey's webcam at ninety percent and rising. Lacey hadn't even started and she'd already become a hit.

PRINCE: I'm not here to see your shoulders sweetheart

Typed one viewer when Lacey after a full three minutes of dancing she'd not made any attempt to take the shirt off properly. Lacey shot a look at the camera to read the comment. Much to Jefferson's surprise and pleasure she didn't seem effected by the user's comment.

"Oh yeah, are you here for this?"

Be Lacey, you can do this. She turned and bent herself teasingly over her bed giving the camera a perfect view of her black lace covered bottom. There was no ping and so Belle wondered if that was because no one had a hand free to type with, yes being Lacey was starting to work for her, or if she'd not done anything all that interesting for them. Lacey turned back to the camera; because right now she needed to be Lacey.

"Or maybe these?"With that she quickly unbuttoned the rest of her shirt and let it fall to the ground to show off her black lace bra.

Belle had no idea just how many eyes could on her; bankers in Atlanta, bar owners from Dallas, producers in Los Angeles were just the iceberg for her imagination. The House Of Scarlet's reach was global, and monumentally profitable, it wasn't just men in basements.

Lacey lost track as her show went on, just me and the camera, that was all. After a while she actually found herself enjoying it, in a way it was freeing, fun even. When she finally finished Belle blew a kiss to her webcam with a naughty grin before she bid the viewers a good evening and went to pick up her shirt. The twenty-one year old took a breath to calm herself, she'd done it!

Just as Belle slipped her bra back on Ruby burst through the door with a bold grin on her face.

"I am so proud of you, you were awesome!”

Belle grinned, she'd suspected every one in the house had been watching her. She'd not signed a contract yet so Belle suspected she probably shouldn't have been doing a show but it hadn't been for Gold's business, it had been for Belle; to prove to herself she really could be Lacey.

Suddenly there was another ping from the laptop and Ruby looked over to the golden box filled with black writing in the left hand side of the screen.

SHERIFFOFNOTTINGHAM: Hi Lacey.

"Oh that's the Sheriff,” began Ruby with a red smile, “he's always on here, a real sweetheart. Why don't you say hi."

Belle did as Ruby suggested, sat herself before the webcam and spoke in a silky tone.

"Sorry Sheriff, you just missed the show. I'll be back tomorrow though."

SHERIFFOFNOTTINGHAM: Promise?

Belle smiled softly at the camera, she'd have signed her contract by the end of tomorrow and then it would be her job to perform for these cameras. She'd be back the next day, Belle had no doubt. Also, if this guy was already hoping for another show she'd clearly done something right.

"Yeah, I promise."

SHERIFFOFNOTTINGHAM: 3PM?

"That sounds great, I'll be sure to look out for you. And anyone who sounds like they're from a fairytale is alright in my book."

Belle blew him a kiss and then shut the lid of her laptop, a promise made. Belle was pleased with her first show but she had no idea that just a few miles away a dark haired-man with yellowed eyes from years of nicotine abuse and God only knew what else sat in the dark. He re-winded to Lacey blowing him a kiss where he paused it and quickly printed the picture. He held it in his hands and pressed a kiss to the newly inked page.

~X~

Belle awoke in the very early hours of the next morning when everything was still dark and quiet. Her eyes took a a few moments to adjust and a moment longer to realize what had woken her from her cosy slumber. Panting and moans, that was what had pulled Belle from her slumber. She didn't know why but before she knew it Belle had reached over and grabbed her laptop from the night stand and opened the lid. It only took two clicks to find the cause was Aurora and Mulan, in Mulan's room at the end of the hall; it seemed Aurora could be rather vocal. Belle smiled softly then shut the lid so she could return herself to sleep completely unaware that a certain Sheriff had continued to watch Belle during her dreams.

Meanwhile the stars hung in the sky and Will Scarlet had fallen asleep in the security centre by the front gate, he hadn't meant to but he'd just not been able to keep his eyes open; Graham and Robin would probably kill him when they came back from their rounds.

Silently the front gate slipped open and a black figure passed slowly through it so as not to wake the Englishman, it took less then twenty seconds for the black figure to get to the front door, where it peered through the large window to reveal Ashley making a smoothie in the kitchen, the teenager was just visible through the archway that connected the living room and the kitchen. The shadow didn't say a word, just returned to the front door and punch in the door code: 683752. Seconds later the black figure slipped into the house and closed the door behind them. The figure moved silently through the house into the kitchen.

Ashley hadn't been the only one in the kitchen Ruby and Tink had sat themselves at the breakfast bar with a plate of cookies while the blond teenager finished her smoothie. Ashley hummed to herself as she poured the pink smoothie into a glass and took a long sip of cool, refreshing liquid; by the looks of her she'd been in the gym not long before, all three girls had. A second later she turned and screamed at the top of her lungs, the glass fell from her hand onto the ground where it smashed every, sharp splats of pink smoothie branched out away from her like a spider's web.

"Wick, you scared the crap out of me!" Ashley yelled as Ruby and Tink spun around to see the elder woman stood in the archway to the living room.

"Why are you here?" Ruby demanded in a deep tone as she folded her arms over her chest suspiciously.

"Look, I had nowhere else to go and I'm clean now so I can come back." Wick responded like it was simple.

"Yeah,” Tink didn't sound convinced for a single second, “I doubt he will see it that way. Besides, you've already been replaced, Baby show her."

"What the fuck! By who?" Wick's tone was angry as she all but launched towards the ipad that Ashley held up with a smirk. There the elder woman saw young Belle from earlier that night when she'd done her impromptu show. "Bit plain don't you think?" Wick sneered.

"Believe me she's good, and way nicer than you, Wick." Said Ruby flatly.

"And not a heroin addict." Tink added before she bit into a cookie.

I'm not having this, thought Wick, I will not be replaced by some pathetic school girl. With her mind made up Wick turned towards the main kitchen camera and put on her best good girl act.

"Gold, you're watching, I know you are, you know everything that goes on in your house. I'll be good, I promise. I'm all better now too, please just one more chance." Wick pulled of her black top to reveal a simple but effective green bra. "You can't keep this from the audience can you?"

Mister Gold did indeed know everything that went on in his house; he knew about the forty year old bottle of bourbon Victor had hidden his cabinet of medical supplies, Gold knew about the time Ruby, Ariel and Ashley had all snuck into his bedroom to see if he'd just appear and yell at them, Gold knew everything. He sat in his office up on the second floor with dark-brown orbs focused on his laptop screen, he'd been watching via the kitchen camera had been ever since he heard Baby scream. Gold had been about to head off to bed but then Wick had come along to cause problems lie she always did. He flicking to the kitchen viewer count and quickly raised an eyebrow at the numbers he found. Gold knew this woman had been popular at The House of Scarlet for quite some time and it seemed she still was. He sighed as the count reached eighty percent and started to type in the private text box that only he, the girls, their doctor and Jefferson had access to. It seemed Zelena Green was back.

Back down in the vast kitchen the four girls heard a ping that echoed around the kitchen. Ashley sighed in annoyance before she read out what Gold had typed.

"He says you can stay sleep in the spare room next to Princess'." Another ping caused a smug smile to grow on Ashley's face. "For now."


	3. Chapter 3

When a reasonable hour came Belle woke to the sound of laughing out in the garden, surprising since her room was on the other side of the house. Curiously Belle slipped out of bed and left her room in favour of going to the massive window beside the back staircase that looked down at the yard. Off to the right of the pool she saw a large open area of grass where the other girls were running around playing volleyball. Belle couldn't help but notice the little outfits and tight jeans, _maybe I should go shopping with my first wages_ _when I get them_ _, get some new clothes. Something more Lacey._

First thing first, Belle needed to take a shower, but would she be brave enough to use one of the bathrooms with a camera or would she just stick to the more private bathrooms like the day before? _May as well get used to my new job. Don't just be brave, be Lacey._ Belle, in her best Lacey persona, turned back from the window and returned to her room where she tugged open her new – and rather large – closet. She pulled off the grey tank and loose aqua colored shorts she'd slept in and grabbed her toiletries bag then, once in her yellow robe, walked out her room once more to the bathroom across from Tink's room; one that certainly had cameras in it. She knocked to check if any of the girls were in there but when no answer came she went inside and shut the door quickly. She stood there a moment just eyeing the camera that hovered above the shower; Belle could do this, she _could_.

Suddenly her head snapped back and Belle remembered her shower, she set down her green toiletries bag and turned the shower on, it was cold for a second but soon warmed up and Belle stepped under the warmth, soothing water caressed her curves and calmed her mind's worries. Relieved the tension still at the back of her mind.

After a while she forgot the camera was even there, that was, of course, until she turned round. To her surprise Lacey smiled up at the camera, because it was Lacey not Belle, and just carried on with her shower. She had started to grow comfortable with her new surroundings far quicker than she thought possible, being Lacey worked, add in the fact that Gold had granted all the girls the choice of what they did and Belle felt like she could do anything because in The House Of Scarlet she really could.

During her thoughts Belle had no idea that one pair of eyes watching her belonged to SheriffOfNottingham, nor did she know of the photoshopped pictures of her and him together in various places. He longed, wished and hoped he could hold her close in his arms, smell the coconut shampoo in her hair, because he was almost certain it was coconut. He wanted Lacey to scream  _his_ name wanted her to beg him for more and cling to him with need. Keith Nottingham wanted her to be _his_ _,_ _wanted her entirely because she was the epitome of beauty._

~X~

Belle was just leaving for her English class when Ruby stopped her in the vestibule. The taller girl had dressed in a little tartan mini skirt and a long sleeved, but very low cut, black shirt matched with her ever present killer heels. Belle felt a little better at her clothing choices after seeing her new friend, she was in her brand new yellow shorts and fitted 'Her Handsome Hero' t-shirt with her black, lace-up ankle boots that gave her an extra six inches; Belle needed all the height she could get. She worried that she'd stick out in her new outfit but with Ruby, not a chance. 

“What is it Red?” Belle asked in a pleasant tone.

“Wanted to know if you want to ride with me? We are in the same class after all.”

Belle stopped dead. “We are?”

Belle was pretty sure she'd never seen Ruby in her English Literature or Library Science classes before, surely she'd have noticed a woman like the one before her. Ruby was the sort of girl that wasn't easily forgotten. 

“Yeah, last night when you told us about your subjects I got to thinking and yeah we're in the same literature class. It's just you sit at the front and I'm always at the back.”

“Huh, small world.” Belle smiled, pleased she wasn't alone. 

That small world got even smaller when Ashley came charging down the back staircase right as the two elder girls rounded the hall towards the garage and practically begged Ruby for a ride to stop her being late. 

“You're in my class too?” Asked Belle with a raised eyebrow, she couldn't be that oblivious to the world of people, could she?

“What?”

The blond clearly hadn't any idea what was going on or what they were talking about but thankfully Ruby saved them as they turned into the garage.

“No, Ashley studies child care in the building over from us, just started this semester actually.” Ruby said as she led them over to her car.

Belle had been about to question Ruby's use of Ashley's real name when it dawned on her that the garage was probably a useless place for cameras, nothing would ever happen in there. Ashley slipped into Ruby's back seat while Belle got in the front passenger side and smiled to herself. IN the back of her mind there had been a little voice that had done nothing but worry and fret that she'd never have anything even remotely in common with the other eight House Girls. However, she'd come to learn that three of them went to the same university and appeared to be in more or less the same boat as herself.

~X~

The day went pretty quickly much to Belle's pleasure. Mary Margaret and Emma gave her odd little looks when Belle decided to sit at the back with Ruby for a change rather than with them but other than that the day ran smoothly and frankly seemed rather uneventful. Just after their class had started Belle found herself wondering just how many people had watcher her in the shower just a few hours earlier, hundreds? Thousands? Or maybe no one had been interested in her at all, Belle; didn't know. 

When Professor Hopper cleared his throat before going back to his lesson on _Kubla Khan_ by _Samuel Taylor Coleridge_ Belle found her mind returning and her notebook empty. That was unheard of for Belle French, she was the girl who always had about five extra pages of notes, certainly not the girl with a blank notebook and no idea what her professor had said in the last ten minutes.

“I found my head miles away when I first started too,” The red clad woman told her in a hushed tone so as not to disturb anyone else, “then again I was thinking about getting Professor Hopper over for some fun which made things worse. You can copy my notes later if you want.” 

So the overly confident Ruby had a secret crush on their bespectacled professor, in a way Belle couldn't blame her new friend, Professor Hopper wasn't conventionally handsome but he did have kind eyes and an infectious smile as well as a passion for his work.

“Thanks Ruby, that would be great.”

After their classes Ruby picked up Ashley and went back to The House since Belle had decide to hang around the library and study; she did need to copy all of Ruby's notes after all. Since she'd zoned out earlier Belle was pretty sure a revision section was in order. She'd taken the job at The House of Scarlet so she could carry on with school not so she could get distracted and ignore everything.

Belle had put her headphones in almost the second she'd sat down and one of the secluded tables and happily listened to _Lana Del Rey's Salvatore_ in the background, she even started to hum while she copied down Ruby's notes … it ground to a stop though when her cellphone buzzed, she picked it up to find a text from Ariel.

Belle smiled for a moment before she noticed the time, twenty to three, she was going to be late to talk with SheriffOfNottingham, she'd promised him. Belle packed her things up and raced back to The House Of Scarlet as quick as she could, thankfully she'd worn ankle boots and not stilettos. Her feet ached as she passed Will and Graham on her way into The House and she threw a 'hi' over her shoulder as she passed them. It was three-fifteen when she got back into her room dove down on her bed and opened up the laptop Jefferson had provided her with, quickly she logging in to the website and caught her breath. It took only a moment before she heard a series of  _ping_ _s_ _._

** SHERIFFOFNOTTINGHAM: Hi Lacey! W** **as beginning to think you stood me up**

“I'm really sorry about that, Sheriff, I lost track of time, but I'm here now. Let's take the conversation private, shall we?.”

Belle, happy to let her Lacey persona take over, clicked the private mode button and looked back at the screen with a smile.

“Do you want me to get undressed for you?” There wasn't a response. “It's kind of what I'm here for.”

** SHERIFFOFNOTTINGHAM: Can we just talk?  **

_Just talk?_ Belle hadn't expected that but she certainly didn't see a problem with it, that was why she nodded fondly.

“Yeah, sure.”

Jefferson's words returned to her then, when he'd told her about the viewers getting to know the girls; what better way to do that than talk to them. She waited a moment for him to start a topic but there was no ping, no question and so Belle decided to start a topic of her own. _Maybe he's not very social,_ her mind offered.

“What is it you do for a living?” She smiled at the screen.

** SHERIFFOFNOTTINDHAM: I work with computers. Programming, maintenance, repairing. I do all of it **

“That must be interesting, do you like it?”

Belle had never been very good with computers to be honest, she could do the basics easily enough and internet shopping had ended up as a rather expensive hobby at one point but if her laptop died she was little more than a caveman; she'd no idea how to fix it.

** SHERIFFOFNOTTINGHAM: It lets me keep to myself a lot. It's peaceful. **

“Peaceful, that sounds nice. Sounds pretty.” Oh it did, sort of like when she sat alone and just read without a care in the world.

** SHERIFFOFNOTTINGHAM: So are you.  **

Belle giggled a little, Ruby had been right, Sheriff was a total sweetheart. “Why thank you. You too.”

There was an unnaturally long pause between them and Belle has begun to get a little worried, in fact the pause was so long that the next ping made her jump.

** SHERIFFOFNOTTINGHAM: How do you know? You don't even know me. Never met me.**

“You've been nothing but sweet to me.” She shrugged. “I bet you're a perfect, handsome gentleman.”

** SHERIFFOFNOTTINGHAM: You think I'm handsome?  **

Belle's cell buzzed then, the screen lit up and when she grabbed it her eyes widened a little: Mister Gold wanted her in his office now. _M_ _ust be time for introductions_ _,_ she thought to herself beofre Belle returned her attention to the screen and her conversation with Sheriff.

“Hey, Sheriff. Do you think we could have a rain check on this?” She asked gently. “I have to do something.”

** SHERIFFOFNOTTINGHAM ** **: Do you think I'm handsome?**

“What?”

It was clear Belle hadn't read the first message he'd sent and had been lost in her phone. Frankly she thought herself a little rude. Suddenly a JPEG image flashed up on her screen, it took up the whole screen. Dark-eyes and messy brown hair, the man wasn't particular handsome to Belle but he certainly wasn't ugly. 

“How did you do that? The House Of Scarlet can't be hacked.” Her brow furrowed deeply.

** SHERIFFOFNOTTINGHAM: DO YOU THINK I'M HANDSOME???  **

“Yes, Sheriff I think you're beautiful.” _Maybe he's really insecure._ “I'll see you tomorrow, bye Sheriff.”

With that Belle shut the lid quickly. She had no idea how happy she'd made Keith Nottingham, he'd always been bullied especially by a young girl when he was ten, Marion was dead now though, he'd seen to that. 

A few moments later Belle managed to push herself out of her thoughts and climbed off her bed. She wondered how the hell Sheriff had gotten that image on the webside but soon pushed away the thoughts when she realized she was keeping Mister Gold waiting. Belle hurried out her room and right down the central hall then right again until she reached Mister Gold's office. This was the first time she'd found herself in the camera-less section of the house, the boy's wing. Gold's office sat neatly in the middle of the hall but she couldn't help but wonder what she'd find if she continued to explore. Belle knocked softly on the half-open door before she poked her head around in.

“Come in, Miss French.”

Mister Gold had a deep Scottish accent and Belle nearly screamed _full house_ at the top of her lungs, not only did The House Of Scarlet have two English and an Irish guard but they also had a Scottish boss. Belle had always had a thing about accents, to her hearing them was like exploring the world without really going anywhere.

To push her mind off that subject Belle stepped into the room and looked around, the whole house had been modernized but Mister Gold's office appeared Gothic and original; like she'd stepped back in time.

“You have a beautiful office.” She said absent-mindedly.

“Thank you, Miss French.” He replied from his desk where he sat looking very formal and powerful.

Gold's office had dark hardwood floors and mahogany panels around the room that were inlet to create shelves in little arches on the walls to either side of her as she walked into the room. The unusual architecture compared to the rest of The House didn't get too much attention though, Belle was too focused on the vast selection of books that littered said shelves. At the very centre of the room was Mister Gold himself at his large desk with his fingers laced together in a pyramid under his chin as he watched his new House Girl. Frankly, out of all the amazing things in the office, including the books – Mister Gold was her favorite. An older man clearly – older than she'd expected in truth, Belle had imagined him to be somewhere in his mid forties but clearly he lingered somewhere closer to mid fifties; not that it was a problem. He wore his hair longer than most men his age as well,  _it suits him_ Belle had decided rather easily. She had to admit his perfectly tailored suit with the tie and silk pocket square struck quite the image, bold and powerful. Belle audibly swallowed when she noticed the honey chocolate of his intense eyes. 

“As you can guess, Miss French, I am Mister Gold. Please, have a seat.” He spoke while gesturing to one of the wooden chairs opposite his desk. “I am sorry for not introducing myself when you first arrive but I was extreemly busy and have since been … dealing with another problem.” 

Belle did as instructed and sat herself down in the chair then flashed him a polite smile.

“That's alright, Ruby and Jefferson showed me around.”

“Yes, Ruby is good like that.” He responded quickly. “I'm sure Jefferson told you everything about this place on the drive over but I'm going to tell you again, I like knowing it has really sunk in.” Belle couldn't help but think there was something else he could sink into, _what's wrong with me? I never think like this_. “Here at The House Of Scarlet everything is up to you. You're not some sort of sex slave.” Belle snorted at that and was happy when he smiled too even if it was a devilish grin. “I have an off site team that monitor the website and keep you and the other girls here safe and Jefferson's husband, Doctor Victor Whale, is here to handle any medical issue you may have.”

“Yeah, I met him. Victor seems nice.”

“He is, just don't let him get drunk because he will make out with anything that moves, male, female or inanimate object. That was how I ended up punching him.”

In that one moment Belle decided she would have paid to see that. Mister Gold had a very dry humor but she suspected it was a humor that fitted rather nicely with the mix of characters at The House of Scarlet.

“I think I can handle a drunk Victor.”

“Good. Also you should know that Wick is back.” He sighed and looked down, it was clear he didn't want this Wick person around; for a moment Belle even felt bad for him.

“Wick?” She questioned with a furrowed brow.

“Her real name is Zelena Green. Basically you replaced her, her room is now yours and so is her place on my website. She gets jealous easily and probably won't like you. However, Zelena is currently on the thinnest ice imaginable and so will be on best behavior until she thinks she's won herself back into my good graces. If she does something you don't like come find me and I will put her in her place.” 

“No problem, I can do that.”

He seemed to relax a little and then flipped open a small black leather notebook that he flicked through quickly until he found the desired page. Mister Gold struck Belle as a very organized and controlled person.

“On a nicer note, what is your favourite color? And you've chosen the name _Lacey_ correct?”

“Blue and yeah why?” Belle questioned curiously.

“No reason, just a little something that Jamie started.” Belle didn't question him further and Gold was pleased about that, he didn't want to ruin the surprise, however, hen he noticed the twenty-one year old's puzzled face he elaborated. “Jamie is Mulan just so you know, though I am the only one who ever uses her real name. Would you like to be permanently referred to as Lacey or only when on camera?” 

“Em, just on camera I think.”

The elder man nodded as he took in all the information and jotted a few things down. Gold hadn't been happy when Jefferson had come to him to say he'd found a new girl on campus. He didn't like Jefferson going after the university students, yes, most of them needed the money but he still didn't like girls so young working for him, especially when he thought they could be so much more. Belle was beautiful, gorgeous even, the most perfect thing he'd ever seen, and Mister Gold had seen a lot of women come and go at The House of Scarlet. Gold had known there wouldn't be any denying her beauty the second Jefferson showed him a picture of her. He'd never touched any of the girls before, no matter how many times Zelena had tried to convince him to, although with Belle, he really wanted to hold her, kiss her.  _She's too good for this place._ _Frankly this unending muttering of want in the back of his brain both angered and horrified him; he'd_ _never_ _touched the girls before._

“If you just sign the contract,” he began suddenly as a way to get his mind back on track, “you will have to complete it. There is no way of getting out of your contract, it's watertight, I should know I wrote it.” Belle's brow furrowed in puzzlement once more. “Who better to run a porn website like this one than a lawyer?”

Belle pulled the contract he handed over to her and started to read, Gold seemed almost shocked that she actuality _read_ it, maybe the people he came into contact with we not smart enough to read the fine print? That didn't matter, Belle cared about her contract not anyone else’s. After a fw minutes where her eyes faked over the contract and he sat quietly before her she nodded to herself, everything seemed acceptable and Belle had nothing to complain about, however she did have a question. 

“This is only good for six months.” She stated plainly.

“Yes," Gold nodded, “all the girls sign new contracts every six months. If something happens and you suddenly wish to leave you don't want to be hanging around for or a year waiting for the contract to end.”

To be honest it was a good idea, it made sure that every six months the girls were still certain they wanted to be at The House, there was also a clause about drug use, stealing, harm to others without consent and a few other little things that allowed Gold to kick them out of the house and off the website but Belle didn't think any of those things would be a problem, unless books counted as a drug addiction. 

“Alright.” With that Belle took up and signed on the dotted line; she was a House Girl.

“Unfortunately, you shan't be paid for the work you have already done. While I appreciate your want to dive right in you did not officially work for me so no hours were logged.” Truthfully Belle and sort of suspected that. “Like any other business you are entitled to sick days and vacation time should you want it, you just have to ask me and I'll schedule it as required. However, if Doctor Whale tells me you need time off for any bed rest – which I don't foresee – I can and will disable your cameras until Doctor Whale gives you the all clear. Equally if you end up in need of medial treatment I will pay for it as part of your medical care … within reason of course. Do  _not_ try and talk me into getting you breast implants like Cruella did.” 

Belle's eyes widened, had Cruella really tried that? Belle wouldn't ever, it just seemed like taking advantage of their employer. Anyway, if she worked at The House of Scarlet for as long as Cruella seemed to have surely she could afford her own implants. 

Meanwhile Zelena crept up the back staircase and over to the new arrival's room,  _ it should be my room!  _ Her mind screamed. The room had once been perfect and hers yet not it reeked of the new sluts perfume and her clothes hung in the closet; Zelena's green 'W' had vanished as well. It just wasn't right.  _I can make him want me again._ It didn't appear to register that Gold hadn't wanted her in the first place.  _If that bitch thinks she can come in her take my_ _room_ _and my_ _job_ _she's got an_ _o_ _ ther thing coming, and if she goes near  _ _Elias_ _… I'll kill her._

Full of rage Zelena turned her attention to the laptop resting on Belle's bed and decided to help herself. She lifted it into her hands an opened up the lid to reveal Sheriff's JPEG. 

“Oh now this I can have fun with.” She cheered.


	4. Chapter 4

That evening Belle entered the dining room to find everyone already gathered around helping themselves to the seafood paella and garlic bread that Ariel had lovingly made. She was surprised to find the house manager and resident doctor sat at one end of the table, Jefferson filled his face with bread while Victor sipped at his beer; Belle couldn't help but smile when she remembered what Gold had said.

“Oh hey Lacey, just in time help yourself.” Ariel chorused with an easy smile.

Belle did as big and sat down between Ashley and the vacant head of the table then helped herself to dinner much as the others were. For a moment she wondered if the vacant chair was for Wick or Zelena or whatever her name really was but when the former House Girl appeared and Ariel all but threw a plate at the elder woman Belle decided she'd probably been wrong. Zelena got herself something to eat, sneered at everyone – Belle specifically – then vanished back upstairs without a word. Clearly no one wanted Zelena at The House of Scarlet. In the short time Belle had been there she'd come to learn that Ariel was naturally nice and pleasant to  _anyone_ and yet the simple sight of Zelena had made her do a full one-eighty. Belle hadn't gotten any idea what had made Zelena leave – didn't even know if it had been willing or if Gold had fired her – but the  auburn -haired beauty had decided she didn't want to know;  _probably best I leave that subject alone._

Instead of getting lost in her mind she struck up conversation with Ruby, who sat across from her, and stared to eat just like the other girls. She'd not seen all of them in one room since she'd arrived and a wave of happiness washed over her. It was nice to have a home cooked meal again, it sparked memories of her mother's roast dinners and homemade soups. Her Papa had done his best but frankly Moe was a lousy cook without any prospect of improving.

Not long after they'd settled down to eat Cruella and Aurora had gotten into a fight over fur and it's moral implications when Cruella had started bemoaning about needing a new coat. The argument stopped dead  when Mister Gold entered the room. As far as Belle could tell he'd not interacted with the girls at all since she'd arrived so his sudden appearance in the dining room came as a surprise. 

“Elias!” Everyone except Cruella cheered happily. 

Belle raised an eyebrow questioningly. She'd not expected this. Not expected him to show up, not expected him to get such a unanimous response out of her fellow House Girls, not expected any of it. Suddenly who the seat at the head of the table was for became clear. Ashley got up in an instant as he entered the room and pressed a kiss to his cheek while Ruby put her waitress skills to good use and filled a plate for him while he took his seat. 

“Thank you, Red.” He said quietly before he flashed his honey-eyes up to Ariel. “You have outdone yourself as usual, Ariel.”

Suddenly Jefferson's and Victor's presence seemed far more normal, the three men lived in the house as well and couldn't be forced to live in their – much smaller – section of the building permanently. The viewers weren't there to watch Jefferson, Victor and Gold – or Elias as it turned out – though, they were there for the girls. Then it dawned on Belle, she'd been told the cameras helped the viewers to feel as though they were part of the action, the day to day lives, and this regular old dinner was as day to day as one could get. It had already been made clear to her that Victor and Jefferson cared for the girls deeply and, in their own way, treated The House of Scarlet like a family, a porn family, but a family nevertheless. Belle just hadn't expected Mister Gold to do the same. 

In hardly thirty second from Gold entering to him sitting down everyone had gone back to their conversations and jokes. In a weird way Belle found herself comforted, it reminded her of Thanksgivng when every strange member of the family came out of the woodwork to celebrate. 

“Elias,” began Ruby as she reached for her wine glass, “Craig is coming over tomorrow.”

“Of course, Dearie, I'll have a car ready for him.” He responded absent-mindedly while he helped himself to some garlic bread.

Belle took another bite of her dinner and nearly groaned, it was amazing, she could taste every spice perfectly and the prawns were to die for. _Really where has Ariel been all my life?_ Belle hadn't had a meal that good since her her mother's chicken casserole. Ariel had some real talent. 

After a while Belle realized they were all calling him Elias rather than Mister Gold and so leaned over to Ashley who sat beside her.

“He just lets you call him by his first name?”

Frankly until the girls had all cheered it Belle hadn't had the first clue what his given name was, it hadn't even appeared on her contract, just said 'Mister Gold'.

Ashley shrugged. “Yeah. Well, to everyone else it's Gold but he's got a soft spot for us so he's Elias. Ruby tried _Elly_ once but it wasn't didn't go down well.” Somehow Belle wasn't surprised in the slightest at that. “He doesn't go for Eli either so just stick to Elias.” 

With that the blonde returned to eating her dinner. Belle sat a moment to roll the name around in her mind. She liked it she decided, it suited him. _Sexy accent: check. Sexy suit collection: check. Sexy eyes: check. Sexy name that rolls of the tongue: check._ The blue-eyed angel soon had to chastise herself, Gold was her employer and she shouldn't have thought about him in such ways; inappropriate. Gold might have treated her and the other girls well but at the end of the day she was there to make him money not lust after him like a schoolgirl.

Unbeknownst to the new Australian but she wasn't the only one who needed to chastise themselves, Gold did as well. He'd really hoped she'd be at the opposite end of the table when he'd entered but no, there she was right bloody next to him; why was fate so cruel? _She only needs to make the money for her tuition,_ _began his brain logically,_ _to her I'm just an old man who runs a porn site, she probably thinks I'm a freak_ _and that's if she thinks anything of me at all_ _. I mean seriously I'm_ _forty-nine_ _years old and I live with a group of sexy twenty something girls and two gay guys,_ _what else is she supposed to think?_

~X~

The hour was late when Zelena joined Cruella in the sauna, they'd practically been best friends once upon a time but that had been more out of necessity than genuine friendship. As a result Zelena knew that Cruella would be on her side when it came to her becoming Wick once more and taking back her rightful place; especially if it meant getting rid of the new whore. 

Cruella sat in the corner of The House Of Scarlet's sauna only opening her eyes for a second as Zelena took a seat beside her in the hot room. 

“You're always in here, it's practically your office.” The ginger remarked.

Cruella didn't seem overly impressed. “I know why you're here and yes I want her gone too.”

“Why? She didn't try to replace you.”

“No but she's already more popular than you are and if she actually starts bringing guys here for sex then she'll become more popular than _me_ and I won't have that.”

“Bitch! I'm better than her.” Zelena growled.

Cruella just rolled her eyes, Zelena had always been the jealous type but she was easily led, that was the only reason she let Zelena think they were friends.  _Time to stick the nail in the coffin._

“She likes Gold too.” Zelena's eyes shot open and burned with anger. “What's worse is he wants to fuck her.”

“He wouldn't!” She exclaimed which got a self-satisfied smirk from Cruella. 

“There's a difference between wanting to and actually doing something, Wick.” Cruella flashed her a smug grin. “But he'll only be able to keep his eyes off her for so long and when she eventually gets him to fuck her, well,” Cruella shrugged, “he'll be hers and you'll have no hope.”

“He should be with me! That bitch, first she tries to replace me and now she's taking Elias.”

Zelena slowly got herself more and more worked up until Victoria, or Curella as most knew her, had finally had enough. She just wanted to sit in the sauna in peace for a while before she went upstairs and pleasured herself for the camera but no, Zelena had shown up to fuck everything all over again. 

“Wick dear, why don't you go and _calm yourself down._ ”

Instantly Zelena's demeanor changed, like someone had flicked a switch for her and Cruella felt herself relax against the sauna wall.

“Yeah, I could do with a hit.”

It seemed Zelena 'Wick' Green was far from clean, heroin was still very much part of her diet; not that anyone was all that surprised.  _Oh it_ _'_ _ s alright, she'll do something stupid and get rid of herself and Lacey. Bye bye.  _ _ Cruella grinned as her mind muttered away to her.  _

~X~

Several weeks passed and Belle became rather comfortable in her new home,even started acting for the cameras. Lacey really was becoming part of her, a costume that fit over her skin and gave her all the bravery in the world. Ruby and Ariel had taken her shopping with a pretty reluctant Tamara only to return with a rather large selection of new clothes: mini skirts, low cut tops, lingerie. Basically anything and everything she could ask for. It was nice to be able to buy things for herself, Gold really did pay her very well.

Her shows had become more and more elaborate and her outfits became more and more erotic, Jefferson was only too happy to let her know how popular she'd become. He'd thrust a tablet in her face one morning before breakfast just to show her the numbers. In a way Belle had found herself rather proud, all her fears were gone and she had truly become Lacey.

One thing she was sure she probably should have felt guilty about was the way she showed off her new outfits to Elias Gold. Yes everyone on the website could see her practically every moment of every day but she didn't wear the outfits for them, she wore them for Elias.

On a Tuesday afternoon when Belle had practically walked into Gold on the landing that overlooked the living room she'd taken pride in the quick up and down he'd given her.. The second they'd come face to face a sense of happiness had washed over her for choosing what Ruby had taken to calling her _man killer_ outfit. _Man_ _Killer_ consisted of the shortest black leather skirt she'd ever come across with a low cut, sleeveless, black and white striped top. To go along with it she wore black fishnet stockings and red heels to match her deep lipstick. Lacey suited her. 

Gold had been forced to do a double take when he saw the fishnets but he hid it well, _she wouldn't want me looking at her,_ he told himself.

“I'm sorry, Elias. I didn't see you-” She stopped dead seeing what he held in his hands. “It that a first edition Jane Eyre?”

Gold raised an eyebrow. “You know your literature, Lacey.”

“Well, I am studying it.” She smiled as she took a step closer, even in such high heels she still wasn't as tall as Gold and he wasn't overly tall to begin with. “It's beautiful.”

“That it is. It's in need of repair though. I was actually just about to do that, you're welcome to watch if you'd like.”

“Really?” Belle lit up. “That would be fantastic.”

Elias Gold didn't know what made him ask but he just loved the idea of spending time with her, Belle was so beautiful and made him want to smile every time he saw her. A feeling that hadn't ever come over him before. None of the other House Girls had ever had such an effect. They'd not been alone in a room since that day he'd called her into his office and Gold found himself saddened at that fact. However, Belle had agreed to join him for a while and he was going to treasure every single second of it.

Belle followed him down the maze of hallways and into the boy's wing, then round a corner and about halfway down the hall was the door to his office but instead of continuing down the hall he just led her through his office and into another room littered with books and knick-knacks of unknown value and origin. 

“This is my work room, but the girls just call it the antiques room.” He told her quietly as he moved a few things out the way on his desk to place the book down.

Belle's cerulean orbs flashed around, she was in utter paradise. One wall was completely dedicated to books of varying age and Belle felt a smile come to her face. The rest of the room was littered with little small objects all in different stages of repair. In a way the workroom was like his office, it didn't really fit in with the rest of The House.

He pulled out a chair for her to sit beside him like a perfect gentleman and she happily sat to watch as he repaired the book. The soft sent of his aftershave found its way to her nostrils and Belle felt heat pool in her stomach. It was wonderful to watch him work and, after a while, Gold had even started to teach her about the things he was doing. _H_ _e would be a very good father,_ Belle had quickly decided.

They stayed together for the rest of the day, Elias teaching her new things and when her mind finally returned Belle found she had shuffled so close that she was nearly sat in his lap. Either Gold was too lost in his work or didn't care but Belle knew which was more likely. _Get yourself under control Belle, you work for him, you can't go throwing yourself at him. He doesn't touch the girls R_ _uby_ _told you that. He doesn't think of you that way!_ Belle couldn't help but scold herself, she'd never acted like this before and hadn't the first idea why Elias Gold had so much of an effect on her; he'd not made a single attempt to express interest in her. Yet still Belle wanted him. Never in her twenty-one years had Belle felt such attraction to a man, especially one as distinguished and clearly talented as Mister Elias Gold. Yes, Belle had always preferred the older man, much to her father's displeasure and chagrin, but Elias was something else entirely. There was just something about him that called to her, that made her heart flutter … whatever the calling was it was getting out of hand.

Unbeknownst to the young woman Gold was having similar problems and found himself thankful he was sitting down, he'd die of embarrassment if she found out. He knew she didn't need the little outfits that she wore as Lacey, no Belle French was perfectly perfect all on her own. Although, thinking about it, those stockings did something to him that seemed almost magical as if she'd cast a spell on him. The first time he's seen her his breath had hitched and he'd forgotten how to speak, all the girls that lived at The House Of Scarlet were beautiful but only Belle was angelic, _she's too good for this place,_ his mind told him for the millionth time. How he longed to just simply reach out and lay a hand on her thigh, feel the warmth drift from her beddable body and deep into his own to soothe his attention starved form. 

What had surprised him however, was that she actually seemed interested in what he was saying, what he was teaching her, it wasn't just a young woman being polite. Belle genuinely wanted to know and that had never happened before. Back when he'd been married, Milah couldn't have cared less about his hobbies, if fact he couldn't remember her ever reading anything except for their divorce papers, to Milah everything about him just seemed dull. The girls found his hobbies boring as well for the most part, all those old little things, why bother when there was a free wi-fi connection? They never berated him for it though like Milah had,  _God I hate that woman._

Through their time together Elias tried desperately to block Belle out as best he could, didn't want his pant situation getting any worse, but when he did finally look at her again she's moved closer and had a content smile across her dazzling face as well as a fire burning in her eyes, she wanted something but what? For a moment Gold even indulged himself in thinking it was him.

Soon he finished with the book and moved onto an old clock that looked to be from the baroque era, gold with ornate carvings but it was when he opened up the back that Belle's eyes widened, everything was so small and well fitted together; it reminded her of William Paley and the watchmaker analogy from her philosophy class when she'd been young. Belle rose from her seat at his side and went to stand behind her employer then leaned down over his shoulder to get a better look; completely unaware of the way her breasts grazed against his back. 

Gold's heart rate climbed to the point he thought he'd suffer a heart attack, her perfume filled his nose and pushed a subtle smile to his sharp features. Such a light scent, apples, so enticing that it was almost as if he could reach out and take a bite. He found himself unconsciously leaning back to increase the pressure between their bodies, to feel her perk nipples through the fabric of his shirt. In a moment of courage he risked a glance up at the angelic goddess and found her cerulean orbs looking down at him.

“You enjoying yourself?” She asked and he pulled forwards almost instantly. Caught!

“I … I'm sorry, I apologise.” He tripped and fell over his words like a God damn child caught with its hand in the cookie jar. “That was completely inappropri-”

“I liked it.”

_What? What the fuck?!_ He was hearing things, he had to be, she couldn't have just said what he thought she had.  _ I need to stop drinking, or I need medication, she can't of said- _

“Elias?”

She seemed hesitant, like she'd over-stepped the line and he hated himself when her eyes were dull.

“You don't mean that, Sweetheart.” He told her softly, an air of self-deprecation threaded through his words. _She only said it to make me feel less like the sick pervert I am, she was being kind._

“I do mean it.” She pushed.

It wasn't until then Belle realized how close she'd brought their faces, she could feel his lightly coffee scented breath caress her chin and neck as she leaned down to lock their eyes together. Shimmering aqua meeting honey brown. _Be brave Belle, remember what Mama taught you. Do the brave thing and bravery will follow._ With her mothers words echoing around her head Belle leaned down and captured his cupids bow lips. He tasted divine, like that first sip of hot tea on a winters morning and ended on something bitter that she suspected came from the coffee. Only a split second later he had pulled her to straddle his hips and had his hands softly caressing her thighs, _those_ _stocking_ _clad thighs_. Where this sudden bout of courage had come from neither had any idea. 

“You like those don't you.” She accused teasingly when they pulled apart for air, her arms slipping around his neck.

“Very much so.” He answered truthfully, kissing her pale neck.

Belle grinned as she reached down between them to cup his manhood, pleased when he moaned against her shoulder. In that one moment everything changed, everything darkened, he shoved Belle off of him and stood up; Belle's heart dropped.

“Maybe you should go downstairs or to your room.” His accent had grown thick and he refused to look at her. “We shouldn't do this.”

“Why?” Belle all but demanded. It startled Gold for a moment, forcing him to look at her.

“Belle,” he began with a sigh, “I pay you whenever you have sex with someone, I pay you when you masturbate in font of cameras. I pay you for every sexual act you perform in this house. If I had sex with you I'd just be paying you for that sex too … and you're not a prostitute.”

It all made sense to her then, it wasn't that he didn't want her it was that he didn't want her degrading herself any more than she already was. Didn't want her to think she was nothing but a common whore. Much to her own surprise Belle smiled and took a step closer to him. She grabbed him by his jet black tie and started to play with it teasingly. Now that she'd found that courage Belle wouldn't let it go so easily.

“I don't see any cameras in here.” She purred. “And I don't want your money.” She leaned in to whisper in his ear. “I just want you.”

Gold felt a shiver shoot down his spine, this girl, this goddess of a woman, just wanted old, worthless him. Why? Had Zelena or Cruella said that to him he'd have tossed them out his office and slammed the door but he believed Belle. 

Before his mind could move to a new topic Belle had slammed her lips to his knocking the air from his lungs. He hardly had a single second to react before her tongue licked along the seam of his lips begging entrance that he eagerly allowed, but only on the condition he could take over and so he quickly dominated the kiss. Gold mapped out her mouth and committed her euphoric taste to memory like it were a prize. Her arms reached up and tangled in his graying hair, her fingernails against his scalp sending a jolt of pleasure through his body and into his cock like a wave of electricity. A moan escaped her lips and she arched herself into his suit clad body cursing the layers between them. Elias' firm hands drifted down to her slender hips to hold her close and provide him the friction he needed as he pressed his erection against her. Another moan. He smiled and broke the kiss to move down and lavish her neck with kisses. Belle loved every single moment of his sharp teeth nipping at her neck, she wanted him to bite down, to mark her but he would never risk that, the others would notice instantly.

There weren't any windows in Gold's work room but still her skin glowed almost indecently; maybe she really was a goddess. The Scotsman's hands drifted to cup her perfectly formed backside and in that moment he knew he had never been as happy as he was right there. In a second of pure need Gold lifted Belle and almost slammed her down on his work table so he could press himself to her. A feat of strength neither had really expected. Belle moaned and gripped at his hair tighter. Warm wetness pooled in her core and Belle grew more impatient, his fingertips electric against her skin and Belle wanted more than just his torment. She reached down to cup him again pleased when this time he thrust into her hand wantonly. He wanted her and Belle was almost begging for him.One of his large hands slipped under her leather skirt and into her purple panties to her core.

“You're so wet.” He breathed against her heated skin as he pressed his thumb to her sex which caused her to gasp. “You like that?”

“Yes.” She could barely speak and the word came out as a pant.

His fingers moved in circles tormenting the young beauty before him. She was perfect in every way except one, she was still clothed. He reached up, pulled his hands form her core and Belle mourned the loss with a little whimper that brought a devilish smile to Gold's face. His calloused hands slipped up her body to the hem of her striped top and quickly pulled the offending garment from her body, it found itself tossed to the ground as though it had caused offence and Gold marvelled at Belle's firm breasts hidden by her purple bra. They weren’t overly large and Belle had always been a little self-conscious about them but Gold looked at her like she was the only surviving work of Rembrandt. 

He lowered his head to mouth her through the purple fabric and he felt a wave of animalistic pride was over him when he felt her nipple stand to attention. He didn't notice until she was pushing him away ever so slightly that she had unclasped it, just as with her top the bra was cast away to the floor so Elias could take in the sight of her.

“You're beautiful.” He whispered and Belle blushed, no one had ever called her beautiful before, not with such truth in their voice.

His mouth returned to her milk-white breast and a hand reached to cup the other, he'd never seen anything quite so bewitching as Belle's naked form and he hadn't even gotten her skirt off yet. There was a vulnerability and naturalness to Belle that Gold enjoyed but there was also such bravery and strength, an odd combination but she wouldn't have been Belle French without it.

“Please stop teasing me.”She almost begged and Gold couldn't say no to her.

He tugged at the short leather skirt and Belle raised her hips to help him take it off then her panties followed in one smooth motion to leave her in nothing but her heels and stockings. She reached for one but halted at his voice.

“Leave … leave those on.”

Belle flashed him a smirk and pulled him back to her by his tie, it wasn't fair her being completely naked while he was still fully clothed but she couldn't bring herself to care. Belle _needed_ him and taking his clothes off would waste precious time, besides his suit had a similar affect on her that her stockings did on him. _A suit is to a woman what lingerie is to a man._ Belle made quick work of opening his belt and pulled his pants and boxers down just enough to free his hardened member, he was larger and thicker than she'd expected, not that she was complaining. She held him firmly in her hand and stroked him.

“Sweetheart, I won't last long if you keep doing that.” His voice was breathless.

Belle giggled at that and dragged her thumb over the slit just to make him moan with want and pleasure. She couldn't tease him more than that, she was too wet and far too desperate so she guided him to her entrance and let him fill her to the hilt. Gold nearly came there and then, she was so tight and perfect.

“Move.” She half begged and half demanded.

Gold slipped almost all the way out only to slam back in to her wet heat with such force that the table inched across the floor at the thrust, every moment pure heaven. His hands gripped her hips and Belle's snaked around his neck, lips locked. He started slow at first but soon built up into a punishing rhythm of hard and fast that had Belle panting and moaning for release. A thick layer of sweat coated their skin and shimmered in the fake light. Gold could have died a happy man being buried inside that angel with her moaning into his ear.

Knowing he wouldn't last much longer Elias reached down to cup her sex, rubbed little circles in time with his hard thrusts. She was on the edge and he knew it, reviled in it. White erupted behind Belle's eyes when she finally came like a bomb had gone off wiping out everything except her euphoria. Her nails dug deep into his shoulders leaving behind crescent moon shaped bruises, similar to the ones that would mark her hips. When her muscles clenched around him Gold could take it no longer, Gold wasn't some unskilled teenager though, with a deep guttural moan he pulled out of his young beauty and came to; his seed covered the desk and floor. Sated was his desire.

Neither knew the door was open just a crack, just enough for tempestuous and acrimonious blue eyes to see through. Zelena shook with anger, ire bubbled in her blood. Elias should have taken his pleasure from no one but her! She clenched her fists, sharp green pained nails dug violently into her palms where they drew blood. _Why can't you see how good I am? Now 'she' is throwing herself at you and you roll over like a horny dog! You're mine! All mine!_


	5. Chapter 5

Weeks had passed but the office meetings between Elias and Belle had grown to become a regular occurrence. Both knew it wasn't wise, he was her employer after all but neither could resist their want, their lust. It was like something magical acting on the two of them, a spell which made it impossible for one to resist the other; not that either had tried very hard. Gold, despite his house being filled with beautiful women and two men he deemed friends, had always felt alone. After his wife left him for that puffed up Irishman who thought himself a pirate. He'd been lonely, however, when little Bae – his perfect son, the one pure thing in Elias' life - had died Gold stopped being lonely and became alone. Deathly alone. Then Belle had come along like a miracle and made him think that he could end his solitude, even if it was only for a little while.

Despite Gold's beginnings of happiness Zelena wasn't going to let Belle keep _her_ _Elias from her._ In fact the only reason Belle hadn't had something terrible befall her was because Zelena hadn’t yet sobered up. The heroine numbed the pain, took it away for a time. Her older sister Cora had always hated her, thought she wasn't good enough for anything. Then one day Cora had just left her never to be seen again. Regina, her younger sister, had always been the favorite though, always gotten whatever she'd wanted; Cora had only ever cared about Regina. Still, Regina had abandoned her not long after Cora had, gone to find her _happy ending._ Why did everyone get what they wanted but her? It wasn't fair. The only thing that helped any more was the drugs, they were good to her. The only thing that wouldn't leave her. The only thing that cared about her.

~X~

The hour had grown very late when Ashley sat bolt upright in bed, a thin layer of cold sweat coated her porcelain skin. The night was cool but not cold and thick black clouds hung in the sky where they blocked out the diamond like stars. Ashley's heart – or Baby's since she was on camera – thumped in her chest, it had been a long time since she'd had one of _those_ nightmares; the ones seemingly delighted in popping up at random intervals to horrify her.

Though it was dark and everyone was in bed the blonde knew she had to do the one thing that calmed her, soothed her, when those nightmare memories hit her.

With a sigh Ashley threw off her covers and padded out of her room quietly, the hardwood floor was cool under her feet as she made her way down to the end of the hall careful not to wake anyone; Tink had always been a light sleeper. She turned right and made her way past the back staircase into the 'boy's wing', then all the way around to Gold's bedroom. Once outside she lingered a moment at the closed door. She was too old for this right? Yet the blonde knew if she didn't she'd not sleep again that night. Decision made, Ashley pushed Gold's bedroom door open and poked her head inside. 

Elias' bed faced the door so she instantly saw him and knew he'd actually decided to sleep for once. Suddenly she felt bad for disturbing him.

“Elias?” She asked quietly into the dark room, after a moment he grunted, a noise the blonde took to mean _yes Ashley, what is it?_ “Can I stay with you tonight?”

Silence was her only response for a moment and she wondered if she'd been right, that she really was too old to go crawling into bed with him after a nightmare.

“Yeah.” He rasped sleepily then and the nineteen year old felt a wave of happiness wash over her.

He calmly pulled back the covers as he rolled onto his back and Ashley quickly slipped into the large bed where she cuddled up to a half asleep Mister Gold. There was silence for a time and then Baby found herself breaking it without really meaning to.

“You know,” she began in a hushed tone, hardly a whisper, “you smell like Belle. You need to be more careful.”

Mister Gold's eyes flew open and his head snapped down so he could lock his chocolate orbs with Ashley's baby blues.

“How long have you known?” He asked quickly; suddenly awake.

“I only guessed but now you've confirmed it. You really should be more careful though, if Zelena drug face finds out she'll go mental.” Ashley snuggled closer into his warm and comforting chest.

Gold sighed as held Ashley a little tighter. In a way he'd taken to Ashley almost like an adopted daughter, _yeah a father who let_ _s_ _her work for his porn site._ _Fantastic parenting there, Elias._ There were clearly mixed feelings there about that. She'd not trusted him at first, not that he blamed her, but Ashley had soon grown attached to him like he was some sort of stand in fairy godmother. 

“Don't worry, Ashley,” he started quietly, accent thick due to his sleepy mood. “I can handle Zelena. And I never meant to get involved with Belle, she … she's just so perfect.”

She gave a little half shrug. “The heart wants what the heart wants. There's nothing wrong with it.”

Ashley had always been a romantic at heart, it was one of the many qualities Gold loved about her. She was so innocent in many ways and devilish in others, a perfect balance. He had no doubt she'd bash him over the head with something should he push her too far though.

“I hope you're right.” Mister Gold shut his eyes again and started to settle back into sleep until he remembered why Ashley had crept into his room in the first place; the eyes didn't open again though. “Was it a nightmare like the others?”

“Yes.” She breathed, her face half buried in Elias' chest. “It hasn't happened for a while.” He felt her smile against his black silk clad chest. “Do you know what I think about when I'm afraid?” Elias shook his head no, he was too tired to speak now, could feel slumber claiming him again. “I think of the night you found me.”

~THREE YEARS EARLIER~

_Night had fallen hours earlier and the word_ _cold_ _didn't even begin to cover it._ _Icy_ _surged through Ashley Boyd's thin coat and practically thread bare sweater_ _as snow started to fall around her_ _. Her ears were so frozen that it caused her head pain, like someone had hit her with an axe._ _S_ _oft, baby blonde hair blew around her face, the only layer of protection her red cheeks had __against the_ _blizzard_ _she suspected was coming; okay maybe blizzard was an over-reaction but a blizzard is what it would feel like to her_ _. Snow tumbled forcefully from the sky like a feather made of lead and coated the ground a pure white, if she'd been warm and indoors Ashley would have thought it beautiful,_ _postcard worthy even_ _. The blonde's whole body shook as she walked,_ _her_ _arms wrapped around her_ _slender_ _frame_ _as_ _a last attempt_ _to_ _return some heat to her body._ _Ashley had no_ _real destination yet she still walked,_ _had to do something_ _. She could see her breath fog before her face and her stomach rumbled with hunger_ _just as it had all day_ _. The_ _sidewalk was icy and she slipped every now and again, her thin brown boots lacking any grip what so ever._

_ After what seemed like forever of walking  _ _ aimlessly  _ _ Ashley came to a dead stop, her eyes fell to a small section of space outside what she quickly learnt was an antiques store. It was covered over with a roof and looked more like a porch than anything else. It wouldn't be warm however, it was out of the direct snow.  _ _ Her lips had started to turn blue and she knew she'd not find a better option, especially now the sun had gone down. _

_ The young girl of sixteen settled down and pulled her knees to her chest  _ _ in such a way that left her able to tuck her fingers into the crevice made by her bent knees _ _ , she couldn't even describe the level of cold she felt any more.  _ _ Didn't matter that she couldn't describe it, only others who'd been thrown out of their homes to the mercy of the streets could understand this kind of cold. Even those who'd climbed snowy mountains or travelled through the far reaches of Russia couldn't understand because only another homeless person could fully grasp how sorrow and fear chilled the bones more than the powdery white that slowly built up around her. _

_ Ashley knew she wouldn't, couldn't, survive the winter for much longer; a fact she reluctantly accepted. Her step-mother wouldn't let her back in the house, it was her house now after all, Ashley was just something her father had left behind _ _ that couldn't be sold or given to goodwill _ _ , nothing more than a half-dead cat  _ _ in her step-mother's eyes _ _ . The blonde watched as people passed by, uncaring that a young teen sat alone in the winter night, they passed her like they were all off to accomplish something.  _ _To day is as good a day as any_ _ she guessed. Ashley didn't ask them for help  _ _ or money _ _ , knew they didn't care about her, if she lived or died,  _ _ if they did care she'd not have had to ask them. _ _ Her step-mother had seen to it that Ashley was nothing more than a homeless statistic that only a rich bastard  _ _ with a hard-on _ _ would see. Her father had been the only  _ _ person _ _ to ever care about her … and he was gone forever.  _

_ The sixteen year old was lost in her cold thoughts,  _ _ eyes glazed over,  _ _ when from nowhere a man kicked her  _ _ from behind  _ _ and fell. He landed hard on the ground, softened only by the fresh layer of snow. She'd had no idea the store was still open until this man  _ _ had tripped _ _ over her. She watched in pain as the man slowly pulled himself up onto his  _ _ shaky  _ _ knees and turned to face her  _ _ with a biting glare.  _

“ _What the hell?! Are you trying to kill people?”_

“ _I'm sorry, I didn't know that place was still open.”_ _She said quickly._ _“And you know you could have killed me to. I have a bloody footprint on my face.”_

_ Much to her surprise the two burst out laughing. It was the first time she'd laughed since her father had died and she'd missed it.  _ _ She'd honestly got no idea why it had been funny, not since she was still frozen to the bone and now her head and shoulder hurt but still they laughed.  _ _ The man's face crinkled around his rich brown eyes, they looked almost like burnt honey and there was something else in there that just warmed Ashley's chilly heart.  _

“ _ I'm sorry.” He said when the laughing died down; __a comment which surprised her._ _“Are you alright? Your lips are blue.” The stranger pulled himself to his feet and looked down at Ashley_ _as he straightened his perfectly tailored suit. S_ _he didn't find pity_ _in his expression_ _instead she found something closer to concern. “I was going to get something to eat before I head home, would you like to join me?”_

_ Ashley paused for a second.  _ _Join him? What does that mean?_

“ _No.” She answered a little more forcefully than intended._

“ _Are you sure?” Why did this guy give a damn about her? _

“ _Why are you being so nice to me?”_ _She questioned suspiciously. “_ _I'm not your kid.”_

_ There was a bitter tone  _ _ that lingered in her  _ _ voice and Ashley didn't know  _ _ quite where it had come _ _ from, this guy was just trying to be nice to her.  _ _ Right?  _

“ _Contrary to what is popularly believed about me, I could never just let a child sit out in the harshness of winter and starve to death.” _

_ As if to betray her Ashley's stomach growled louder than it had all day. The guy before her was not much taller than she herself was and wore a  _ _ pristine  _ _ navy suit. He wasn't poor, wasn't hungry like she was, he was one of the well to do people … yet he didn't seem stuck up like most of them. He waited patiently as she decided  _ _ and rubbed absent-mindedly at his  _ _ leg; clearly he'd hurt himself when he f _ _ allen. _

“ _There are fries in the offering.” He smiled._ _Damn it, he's got me._

_ He was inviting her to a public place, nothing too bad could happen in a diner could it? And she was so  _ _very_ _ hungry.  _

“ _Alright. I like the sound of that.” It was true._

_ The Scottish stranger helped Ashley to her feet and held out his arm  _ _ so she could loop hers with his _ _ , the thick black wool coat he wore over his navy suit looked inviting and warm but she wasn't quite ready to let him touch her. Instead, the two walked side by side down the slowly emptying street until they came to a large diner lit up in pink and blue neon lights, he held the door open for her and Ashley felt a rush of  _ _ toasty air _ _ hit her in the face. Heaven.  _

_ It didn't take long for him to order them each a burger and fries,  _ _ nor _ _ for her fingers to start to thaw out. She sipped the hot tea he got her and reviled in the heat it gave her body.  _ _ She'd started to feel like a person again rather than an ice sculpture. _ _ When the food  _ _ arrived _ _ she ate quickly, couldn't remember the last time she'd had a decent meal, probably the day before she was kicked to the curb.  _

“ _Slow down.” He_ _told her_ _sternly yet in a calming tone. “You don't want to make yourself sick.”_

“ _I'm making up for lost time.”_ _She smiled, genuinely happy for once._

_ They ate in silence after that, it felt amazing to Ashley to have her stomach so full. Food was something she would never take for granted ever again. The stranger looked out of place in the crappy diner but no one seemed to notice him, maybe a rich, old _ _ er, _ _ guy with a teenage girl who  _ _ clearly wasn't his daughter  _ _ was 'normal'. He waited until she'd finished every last one of her fries before speaking,  _ _ almost as if he'd not wanted to shatter her happiness.  _

“ _What's your name?” His tone was genuine._

“ _Ashley. My name is Ashley.” She drank the last of her tea. “What's yours?”_

“Elias _Gold. But most people just call me bastard.”_

_ Ashley snorted and her now warm face curled upwards in a  _ _ true  _ _ smile.  _

“ _I think I prefer_ _Mister Gold_ _.”_

“ _As do I, Ashley. Now, why were you sat outside Mister Henderson's store?”_

_ There it was, the 'why aren't you at home? You should be with your family' speech. Well, her so called family didn't want her and there was nothing she could do about that.  _

“ _Why were you in an antiques store so late?” She shot back in a growl._

“ _How about a deal? Hmm? You tell me your story and I'll tell you mine?”_

_ He wasn't giving her the speech, wasn't assuming he knew the whole story just because she was a teen and he was a … well, some rich guy who looked rather sexy in a suit. He wasn't like anyone she'd ever met before, he actually  _ _wanted_ _ to know, actually seemed to give a damn; why? However, through her thoughts Ashley nodded in agreement to the deal.  _

“ _Alright, if you really want to know.” She sighed. “My Dad died a month ago and my step-mother kicked me out. I have nowhere to go __and no other family_ _. I'm not one of her_ _precious daughters_ _and so I don't belong.” There was something in his eyes that seemed to understand her pain. “Anyway, we made a deal. What's your story?”_

“ _You probably won't like what I tell you, Ashley.” He sighed and leaned in. “I run a certain type of site aimed at men called The House Of Scarlet. Although as for why I was in the store, antiques are a hobby of mine. Especially clocks.” _

_ Gold had expected her to get up an leave the second he told her but the young girl seemed not to care.  _ _ That was a first. _

“ _Sounds boring. Sex for money.” Her tone was very flippant._

“ _That's not quite what it is, I don't sell women for the evening.” _

_ Elias _ _ Gold pulled out his wallet and set a few bills down on the – _ _ frankly alarming – _ _ pink table and then stood, reached into his wallet again and pulled out some larger bills and held them out to her. When Ashley didn't immediately take the money from his  _ _ slightly tanned _ _ hand he  _ _ smirked _ _ and spoke again.  _

“ _I'm going to give you the option, Ashley, because I don't want you to think I'm trying to take advantage of you. I'll give you some money, enough to get yourself a room somewhere for a while,_ _no questions asked_ _. Or … you can stay with me at The House Of Scarlet for a few days._ _Don't worry there are other girls there._ _I'm giving you the option because I don't want you thinking I'm some sick pervert getting you to work for me_ _or that this is a strange kidnapping attempt_ _. I just want to know you're safe.”_

_“_ _ Why do you care?” Her voice barely reached a whisper.  _

_“ I might have nice clothes and expensive tastes in clocks but I didn't always. Your father died, I _ _wished_ _ mine did.  _ _ And my mother? Well, she didn't stick around long enough to name me. _ _ ”  _

_ Ashley knew the money would run out, but she would be warm for a while, days. Yet, if she went with him who knew. The blonde felt  _ _ something close to an akin. If this had been a movie people probably would have been screaming at her to just take them money and run but Ashley didn't. If she accepted  _ _ she'd be in a new place  _ _ and maybe  _ _ he'd  _ _ even  _ _ help her look for a job. There was something in his eyes, something good behind that  _ _ powerful  _ _ mask he wore, it  _ _ made her _ _ trust  _ _ his words.  _

“ _Alright, I'll go with you.”_

_ It was either the best or the worth decision of her life.  _


	6. Chapter 6

Belle and the other girls stood in the living room dancing to a multitude of rock songs everything that existed from _Fall Out Boy_ and _ Halestorm_ to classics such as  _AC/DC_ and _Metalica._ It was Belle's turn to choose and most of the other girls seemed to apprentice her choice of musix; something she was thankful  for. Tamara and Cruella didn't seem to impressed but to be honest the auburn-haired beauty didn't give a damn. Her playlist had just clicked on to _Easier To Leave_ by _We Are Harlot_ when Gold came through the front door, hair and coat a little damn from the rain that had insisted on stopping and starting all day. 

_When she touched me, a bang shot through my bones and lit my soul on fire  
She set me free, she filled my heart with pure desire  
A beating in my chest I can't resist, and I need it, oh I need it  
No, I don't ever wanna let her go._

“Elias!” They all let out in a cheerful _and partially drunk_ unison.

Belle had certainly taken to being Lacey, in the beginning she'd wondered what sort of girl Lacey would be, now Belle knew for sure, Lacey was the outgoing and slightly Gothic rocker looking for a good time … very different to the girl Belle really was, or at least Belle kept telling herself that. In a way that was what made it fun.

_She's got a something I can't ignore, get up and I'm needing more, my fill's never quite full these days  
It's like I'm stuck inside a dream and I never wanna wake up  
She's got a love that you'd never believe, and I need it, oh I need it  
No, I don't ever wanna let her go_

The music continued to blare as he took off his coat and hung it up. “Hello, girls.”

“Come dance with us!” Tink demanded as she rushed from her seat on the vast couch though the archway towards him.

The second she was close enough Gold found himself grabbed and yanked into the living room by one hand while Ashley grabbed the other.

“Sorry, not much of a modern-day dancer.” 

Ruby snorted and took a large sip of her beer, it would be time for her to slow down _very_ soon.

“Something a little more classical then.”

With that Ruby pulled the stereo remote off the couch arm and went in search of something else. Gold sighed as a _Für Elise _echoed lightly through the room. The cameras were there to watch his girls not him.

“I don't think you ladies know how to waltz.” 

“I do!” Cried Belle, louder than she'd intended, probably because of the alcohol, and pulled him to her so they could take their positions.

Belle had loved dancing when she was little so her mother – bless her – had taken her to a few classes. Belle wouldn't be in any competitions any time soon but she could at least keep up.

Had Belle not been a little tipsy she'd have noticed the harsh scowl that had settled on Tamara's face; shame, if she'd just smiled Tamara would have been very captivating.

“I don't have time for playing Prince and Princess. I'm gonna go do a show.” With that Tamara stormed off as if Belle had been out to personally offend her.

“I think it's time for more gin. Glorious gin.” That was Cruella's cue to leave for the kitchen; a tasks she miraculously accomplished without stumbling once. 

Gold relented and the pair danced for a time, smooth and beautiful. The remaining girls watched in awe like it was some kind of fairytale, a tale as old as time. Gold was undoubtedly rusty and to be honest so was Belle but still they danced as though they had been made for each other. Belle was beginning to wonder if they were made for one another; at least in the safety of her mind she pondered the subject.

“Who taught you to dance?” He asked softly, almost a whisper in her ear.

The music hummed and floated around the large living area, probably audible in the Security Rec Room on the other side of the house.

“My Mama was once quite the dancer, she took me to lessons when I was a child." 

“Well, they certainly paid off.” Elias complemented kindly.

Belle smiled, it was such a little compliment but it made Belle warm inside. He smelt of rich aftershave which finished with the briefest spark of bitter coffee. Belle loved the way he smelt, the way his voice would wrap around her body like a cloak of peace, comfort and … and something she couldn't describe no matter how much she wanted to. For a split second the auburn-haired angel almost forgot herself and leaned up on her tiptoes to press their lips together but thankfully Ruby started to talk and pulled Belle back to her senses.

“Okay, my turn!”

Ruby spoke with such excitement that Belle couldn't bring herself to say no. _He's mine!_ _s_ he wanted to scream, but the cameras couldn't find that out. Instead, she stepped backwards and let Ruby drunkenly slip between them to take Gold's hands. Tink jumped in a not long afterwards and after a few minutes Gold was – only a little – reluctantly twirling all of them around the room by way of indulging his half drunk House Girls, even Cruella joined in upon her return from the kitchen which had Gold questioning just how much gin she'd chugged down. 

“Oh I feel like I'm nineteen again, darling.” Cruella chuckled.

Elias actuality found himself enjoying his time with the girls, not that he'd ever admit it aloud or on camera, it had been a long time since he'd had fun like that. Ruby and Ashley had always tried to get him to interact with them, have fun, but Gold had always thought it would be better for the cameras if he avoided being too friendly with them; the people on his site paid for beautiful young women not a Scottish curmudgeon. Elias especially didn't need to be friendly and give bloody Zelena 'Wick' Green the wrong impression. 

He'd just started to laugh when Jefferson and Victor entered the large room with raised eyebrows and little smirks they didn't try to hide. Several wine glasses were grasped awkwardly in their hands but the two men managed to set them down on the glass coffee table without incident. Mulan and Aurora instantly grabbed a glass each and took a long drink of the rich red wine.

“You stealing all our fun, Elias?” Victor teased before he pressed a kiss to Jefferson's plump lips.

“I'm exhausted, darlings. I think I'm going to indulge in the sauna. Don't wait up.”

They bid Cruella goodnight and she did the same to them, it seemed gin and dancing made her far nicer; less homicidal and judgemental. Lacey-Belle could actually learn to tolerate Cruella if she stayed that way.

“I should go as well,” began Gold as he stepped away from Belle, Tink and Aurora, “I have some paperwork to attend to. Have fun girls.”

The girls asked him to stay but but Elias remained adamant, he'd seen his polite escape and he'd take it, seconds later Gold left the room and off up the wooden stairs. Gold's thoughts were filled entirely with Belle as he climbed the stairs and walked towards his office. Her scent, her beauty, her firm legs in those lace topped stockings that she seemed to only wear for him; tease or treat he'd no idea. Every single inch of her was utterly perfect and without equal. Unfortunately the suit clad man's mental image crumbled and shattered when he pushed the door to his office open and found the one person he really didn't want to see looking waiting for him in the dark; he flicked the light on and sighed. 

There in his desk chair with eyes firmly locked on him with a maddening type of lust was the crazy ginger known as Zelena Green, she wore nothing but a pair of heels and one of Gold's purple silk shirts. This shit was  _not_ what he needed or wanted. 

“Hello, lover boy.” She purred and Gold wanted nothing more than to tip her out the window and forget she ever existed. “Just the man I wanted.”

_Why did you let her back in the house,_ his mind demanded _, because she still brings in money._

“Zelena!” He growled out in anger as he slammed the large, heavy door shut behind him. “Are you ever going to take _no_ as an answer?”

He could see she was drunk and if her eye-liner was anything to go by she'd been crying. It wasn't a big leap to think she was probably high as well. There had been a time when she'd first gotten hooked that he'd cared and tried to help, it had even gotten her to sober up for a while, but when she'd slipped back into her old ways, once, twice, three times and she'd grown obsessional he'd had to throw her out. Elias had given up caring. 

“Zelena. Leave. Now.” His voice was stern and forceful, but he didn't yell.

Zelena pushed herself up quickly, his half buttoned, purple shirt slipped off one pale shoulder as she wobbled. Tears welled in her apple-green eyes. She'd been beautiful once, stunning, now she was just a shell of the woman she'd once been; consumed by drugs, jealousy and obsession.

“I've seen you with that slut!”

“Don't call her that!” He bit out.

Zelena could call him whatever she wanted, say what ever she wanted to him but Belle, she had no right to say a single word about Belle; it wasn't Belle's fault the redhead had destroyed herself.

“You've gone soft, Elias.” Her voice turned sickly sweet. “What happened to the old days when you'd look at me and my sisters with that little smile?”

Gold sighed, he needed a lot more liquor in his system for this or perhaps he'd just open up a vein and set up a drip. Zelena had always been a pain in his ass but she'd brought in so many viewers that he'd learnt to live with it. 

“Dearie, I never looked at you like that. I never looked at Cora or Regina like that either”

That was a lie, Cora had enchanted him for a while and was the main reason he now had his _don't touch the girls_ rule. Then there was Regina, he'd always felt as though they were kindred spirits, he'd taught her everything he knew; they'd never seen eye to eye but the pair had a certain respect for one another. 

Zelena slithered over to him and rested her hands on his chest. “Yes you did, silly.” 

“It's all in your head, Zelena.” He tried to be nice but to be honest Elias had lost his patience. “I don't love you. I _have_ never loved you. I _will_ never love you.”

Tears dripped down Zelena's face, angry and jealous tears that spread her eye-liner even further down her cheeks so she looked something like a miserable Panda. Christ, Gold seriously needed a drink. 

“It's not fair!” She screamed. “I was here first! Yet that whore came in here and took everything from me. Everything! Everything _I_ deserved!”

Belle wasn't a whore, the total opposite, she was a sweet and perfect young woman who was far too good for The House Of Scarlet, an angel in the realm of demons, a Princess cut from marble.

“Belle has taken nothing from you. She-”

Before he could utter another word Zelena crashed their lips together, she tasted foul, whiskey, wine, vodka and that was just what he could taste and distinguish. There was something revolting in there too that made him want to gag but he didn't have the first clue as to what it could be. Elias pushed her away forcefully which sent her back a few steps on unsteady legs; this had to _stop_.

“No! I don't love you. I don't want you.” He sighed and calmed himself. “Zelena, how about instead of focusing on me and Belle you go out and find someone that does love you? Because if you stay here and obsess over me you will never be happy. I've said it before and I'll say it again, dearie, get clean.” 

He'd never been so honest or emotional with anyone beside Belle before, it was strange and … well, _not him._

“You think I'm obsessed with you?” She asked as if it was unbelievable.

“I'm a perceptive sort.” Her hands returned to grip tight on the lapels of his suit jacket as if he was a lifeline. “Zelena, I lie, I cheat and I'm a coward. If you'd have asked me to admit that a month ago I would have killed someone before admit it. Belle makes me happy, and I haven't been happy in a long time. She makes me strong and that is the only reason I have the courage to tell you all this.” He couldn't look at her, just stared down at the floor. “You need to forget me, stop taking drugs and go find someone who loves you for you, like Regina did, because if you don't you'll end up like Cora, unable to love anyone. Look what happened to Cora, no one knows where she is, not you not your sister, not even me.” He sighed. “And no one cares.”

There was a long pause of silence that stretched on to eternity. How could something so quiet be so loud? It was the sort of silence that shook in ones ears and bounced around. Only broken when Zelena's tears burst forth a new, but they were not born of jealousy like the last were, no these were out of sorrow. She clung tighter to his suit jacket and this time Gold snaked his arms around her and held Zelena close. She was so broken, in a way everyone at The House Of Scarlet was, especially Elias Gold himself. 

Where had his sudden strength come from? The courage to tell Zelena the truth rather than throwing her out and pretending it never happened? He knew the answer to those questions, it was Belle, she made him want to be better, be the best version of himself. 

“You're right.” Zelena suddenly said through gargled tears and Gold's eyebrows shot up. Had he finally gotten through to her? “Why are you always right? I don't want to be like Cora, she was my big sister and she never gave a damn about me. Never!”

Maybe Zelena was finally sober enough to see the truth,  _maybe._

“Zelena you should go to bed, you're going to have one hell of a hangover in the morning. Sober up properly.” He pushed her away softly and looked into her apple green eyes. “We'll discuss things more then.”

The redhead nodded and wiped the tears from her face, dirtying her palms with eye-liner. After a moment Gold opened his office door to her and Zelena left, breath still shaky. She padded down the hall, it was cold in nothing but her heels and Elias' shirt but all thoughts were banished from her when Belle appeared at the other end of the hall.

_Belle felt the urge to demand why the elder woman was in Elias' shirt_ _b_ ut she held her tongue, could see Wick was either high as a kite or just coming down and didn't want to start a fight in the hallway. As they passed the redhead mumbled something that Belle couldn't make out at her, it didn't sound evil, bitter even, and so Belle didn't know what to make of it. She simply took a deep breath and made her way into Gold's office.

She found him slumped in his chair, head leaned back towards the ceiling and eyes closed as if he'd just had the longest five minutes of his life. If Zelena was involved then he probably had; poor man.

“Why was Zelena in here? And why was she wearing your shirt?” The second question came out a bit more forcefully than she'd wanted.

“It's alright, Belle.” He eventually replied. “ I think I may finally have that situation under control. As for my shirt, she can keep it. I don't want it any more.” _Not after she's worn it,_ he added in his head.

Thankfully Belle didn't question him on the half naked woman who had just left his office further, he was truly grateful for that. Belle could see he was still fully clothed and more importantly felt nothing towards Zelena. Something had upset him though and Belle felt the need to make it all go away, to make him smile again. It only took her a second to cross the room and seat herself in his lap. Gold opened his eyes at that and looked at her with a smile reserved only for young Belle.

“You don't have to tell me what happened with Zelena, I trust you.” His heart swelled at her words; few people ever trusted him. “Why did you leave the party downstairs?” She asked instead of the questions that clawed at her mind.

“The cameras want to see you, dearie. Not me.” He breathed out a laugh and snaked his arms around her hips to hold her close.

“Don't care about the cameras. _I_ wanted to see you. The other girls were having fun as well.”

With that she pressed her lips to his, she tasted like wine but it was a warmth on the tip of her tongue not overpowering like Zelena had been. What he shared with Belle was a kiss while Zelena had been a second of torture. 

“I suppose if you won't come to the party …” She began once their lips separated. “… the party just has to come to you.”

Belle raised her left arm to reveal a bottle of red wine in her hand that he hadn't noticed until that moment; he'd been so lost in her kisses and kind words. He chuckled almost impishly as she helped herself to a sip. Seconds later she offered him the bottle which Elias took it willingly. The wine was heavenly on his tongue and reminded him of Belle's kiss; strawberry and sweet. When he set the dark-green bottle down Belle kissed him again, a little more deeply that before. _She's too good for me._ He knew that the voice inside his brain was right, but he was also selfish and wouldn't let her go now he had her in his arms. Elias gripped her tighter as if reassuring himself she was real.

“I've been thinking, but first, do you like it here? At The House Of Scarlet?”

Belle's eyes narrowed, why would he ask that?

“Yes.” The young woman confirmed. “Everyone is so kind and friendly. Well, most of them … I still can't understand why Tamara hates me and after tonight it looks like Cruella only like me when she's had a few too many.”

“But do you _like_ it here?”

Belle looked into his chocolate honey eyes knowing this was important to him but not why.

“Yes, I like it here. It's not a, enchanted forest but I'm _happy_.” She stressed the last word.

He sighed, there really was something bothering him and Belle had no idea what had brought it on so quickly. Was it something Zelena had said? Had Belle done something? 

“You're too good for this place, Belle. You can do so much better than The House Of Scarlet.” His words were but a whisper. “I… I was thinking… that- that you shouldn't have to work for me. I'm- I'm going to give you the money for your tuition and if you want an apartment too-”

“You're getting rid of me!? Why?” Belle sat herself up straight and her whole body tensed.

“No! No, I'm not getting rid of you but you're better than this.”

He could see tears as they welled in her ocean blue eyes and he wanted nothing more than to pull her close and hold her but Belle had turned much to rigid.

“That's my choice, Elias! And why would you just give me the money? You don't do anything for free it's always a deal. I know you! So what is it you're getting in return huh?!” She yelling at him now as tears dripped from her cheeks.

“Belle, I- I don't want you to be one of my girls, I-” 

“Not one of your girls?! Then what?!” Belle stood and backed away from him, she was so angry. It boiled through her blood like a poison. Why would he make her feel for him and they just throw her away?

“I just- Belle you. I-” He stuttered.

“What?!”

“I just want you to be _mine!”_ Everything went silent at that and they just looked at each other, Gold still in his chair and Belle on the other side of his desk. “You asked what I got in return.” He began in a lower tone. “You already gave it to me Belle. You made an old man very happy, and I can't let someone I love stay in this den of iniquity.”

He opened his mouth to say more but they never got out, Belle had her lips pressed to his and Elias couldn't figure out why; or how she'd gotten around his desk so quickly. Before she'd been so angry and yet now she was kissing him as if her life depend upon it. When she pulled back she looked breathless.

“Do you mean that?”

Gold's brow furrowed as he desperately tried to catch up. “Mean what?”

“That you love me?”

Until that moment he'd not realized what he'd said, yet hearing Belle ask that question he knew it was true.

“I know I don't deserve you but... yes. I love you.” From somewhere he found the strength to lock his eyes with hers. “I don't expect you to feel the same.”

His ex-wife hadn't loved him. Cora hadn't loved him, so why would Belle, the most beautiful and intelligent of the three, love him?

Belle didn't reject him or laugh at him though, instead she searched out his lips for a deep kiss that she smiled into, a grin more like which her peach lips. She moved to straddle his hips again and Gold's hands slipped to caress her stocking clad thighs.

“Oh you stupid man.” She giggled. “I love you too, of course I love you.”


	7. Chapter 7

Ze lena went back to the shed  hidden away at the very back of the yard  after she'd changed into some actual clothes  rather than just her underwear and Gold's shirt. T he shed  had always been  her favorite place  at The House of Scarlet  because it was where she kept her stash and where no one  ever bother ed her. 

She had to admit  Elias was a good actor, he had told her about finding love and being happy  as though he'd really believed it. Zelena had only gone along with it to see how well that little whore had gotten to him, the slut had really done a number on him, g otten Gold to get rid of her  and everything. The redhead chuckled, she knew why, it was because the little Lacey bitch knew that only she was worthy of Robbie and if Zelena was gone then the bitch could get at him.

“Elias Gold is _mine!_ ”

When they'd passed in the hallway as she'd left Gold's office Zelena couldn't have been happier because she realised that Lacey had seen her in nothing but Gold's shirt, she'd think he was slipping and he was, Gold couldn't resist her for long.

“He loves _me_ after all.” She all but snorted while she fished out her supply from it's hiding spot behind Mulan's old punch bag.

She'd heard Gold and Belle arguing just after the whore had gone into his office and Zelena knew it would only be a matter of time before he saw Lacey for what she really was … a money grabbing slut. After that he would remember how much he loved Zelena and beg for her back. Gold just needed a little help and that was when she remembered the picture she'd printed of SheriffOfNottingham.

“Images of customers won't be liked.” She mused aloud as she set up her things for another hit. “It's a risk to the website.”

Just a little push that was all she needed and then Zelena could have everything that was rightfully hers. It all made so much sense, why couldn't everyone else see that?

~X~

Keith Nottingham had found himself in a good mood, which was unusual, a mood that could only be made better by seeing Lacey. She was like a muse for him and he reviled in her. He sat at his dingy looking desk and logged into The House Of Scarlet website as he did every night and clicked straight on Lacey's bedroom camera, but she wasn't there. The next suggested one was Tamara's camera so he quickly clicked in it showing the beautiful, dark-skinned woman in the middle of entertaining her fans. She wore a violet basque and had her hair cascading down around her shoulders as she danced, Keith didn't care though, he wasn't interested in Tamara.

**SHERIFFOFNOTTINGHAM: Where is Lacey?**

Tamara's laptop pinged and she looked down to read the comment, annoyance instantly crossed her face, this was her show and yet she was getting questions about Lacey. Seriously?

“I don't know, Sheriff.” She answered quickly with her disinterest evident then went back to her show.

**SHERIFFOFNOTTIN** **GHAM: I need to find her.**

He messaged again. Lacey was always there when he logged on, if not in her bedroom then somewhere easily visible.

“I'm trying to do a show here.” She told him with an exasperated sigh.

If some of the other messages that had poured in were anything to go by Keith had pissed them off as well.

**SHERIFFOFNOTTINGHAM** **: Do you know where she is?**

**Has she gone to one of the off camera sections?**

**Is she even in?!**

“Jesus, I don't know! Go be a freak somewhere else.”

Seconds later Keith's screen cut to black where the camera footage had once been, the words _should have been a good boy_ in its place. The fucking bitch had booted him from her camera.

“Freak! She called me a fuckin' freak!”

Keith's good mood was officially gone and the only way it was coming back was by seeing Lacey, hearing her angelic voice, seeing her fingers buried between her legs … that was what Keith Nottingham needed now. And Tamara? How dare she call him a _freak_ the fucking whore would pay.

Having been officially banned from Tamara's camera feed he started to flick through until he found Tink and Red, his favorites until Lacey showed up, sat in he lounge chatting away happily, with Ruby's laptop sat in front of them. Ruby had her trademark tiny cherry shorts on with a low cut white sleeveless Henley top, most of the buttons to which were open not that it was all that much of a surprise. Tink however, had opted for a short emerald skirt and a black sequins covered halter-neck. The two women were clearly prepared to make a statement that night. They smiled and laughed as they sipped their wine and chatted about boys and school classes, but Keith couldn't care less what they were discussing he _needed_ to find Lacey.

Their screen pinged with his message and Ruby leaned down to read it.

“Oh, it's the Sheriff.” She told Tink with a grin. “Hey how do you think he came up with that?”

 _Did she even read what I fuckin' wrote?! Did she?!_ At that moment Ashley appeared on screen carrying a plate and brushing out the none existent creases from her yellow skirt. He sent his message again but it still went un-read. The whore's were too focused on themselves.

“Hey, Baby. Say hello to the Sheriff.” Smiled Tink.

The young blonde leaned over the back of the couch and did just that.

“Hiya Sheriff. We haven't heard from you in a while. Thought Lacey was you favorite now.” It wasn't a question and she spoke with a playful smile, then again, Ashley was the innocent one.

Keith didn't respond, clearly they were too busy with their own conversation to pay any attention to his questions. _Fuck them, I can find her myself,_ he thought with anger. His blood was boiling now, Tamara had taken his happy mood and all that would bring it back was Lacey. The mouse clicked repeatedly as he went through camera after camera, he found everyone; Mulan and Princess, Cruella, Wick, he even found Jefferson and Victor making out on the floor of the gym. So many people and none of them where who he wanted, who he _needed._ Camera feeds changed even faster after that until he came to a sudden screeching halt. In the bottom corner of the screen it read _Front Stairwell_ while in he other was The House Of Scarlet logo. The area was void of people but that didn't matter, it was the notice board that caught his attention, zooming in his features contorted with rage. Underneath a paper sign with _Pool out of bounds from Monday 18_ _th_ _to Wednesday 20_ _th_ _of this month for maintenance_ written on it was a photograph he remembered well.

“That's the picture I sent to her.” Keith muttered to himself.

He zoomed in further and found there was block capitals scribbled across the bottom of the image. _The Sheriff... what a stud!_ He'd sent her that image months ago, how long had it been hanging there? Keith was sure he'd have noticed before now, he watched the camera's so often. Would Lacey really do that? No, she wouldn't but Keith Nottingham didn't know that, he didn't know Zelena and her stupid games, all he knew was that they were laughing at him... and he couldn't have that.

In a fit of range Keith rose to his feed, grabbed the monitor and threw it across the room letting it shatter into a million pieces.

“You bitch!”

With his monitor destroyed, he turned to his laptop and shoved it open with far more force than was necessary. Faced with the screen and the sound of his blood boiling in his ears Keith started to type.

~X~

Belle hated being so late back to The House Of Scarlet, she'd been at the library studying like she always did on Mondays but it seemed time had gotten away from her. She'd intended to come home, eat, do her show and then curl up in Elias' arms. She'd barely seen the man she loved all week what with her mid-terms coming up, him having a website to run and God only knew what happened with all those antiques he had lying about.

She sighed as she climbed the stairs, _Stitched Up Heart's Frankenstein_ blasting away in her ears, all she wanted was Elias. He wouldn't mind her not doing _one_ show in favor of doing him, would he? Belle never got to think of the answer as her aqua eyes flashed up to the notice bored, no one really cared about the pool being cleaned – except for Ariel who practically had gills – but it was what had been pinned under it that had her attention. In seconds Belle had ripped the picture down, there was only one person stupid enough to pin it up, hell, to even go near her laptop and take it; Zelena. The redhead had been acting all nice and kind for around a week now and It was freaking Belle out, obviously Wick hadn't changed one bit and Belle was in no way surprised. She'd deal with Zelena in the morning, right now she wanted a shower and Elias. With that Belle screwed the picture up and tossed it in the trash and stormed into her room.

A good hour later of indulging in a nice hot shower Belle was dry and dressed in a tiny azure skirt and a black v-neck crop top – the shortest one she owned – with little straps holding it on her shoulders. Belle couldn't leave without her stockings on, she knew what they did to her Elias and Belle enjoyed teasing him with them. She lined her eyes softly and then slipped down the hall to his bedroom.

Belle snorted when she pushed the door open and found him leaning against the bed's head rest, glasses settled on his nose with paperwork coating the bed. He looked like an accountant who'd brought work home with him. His suit jacket had been discarded at the end of the bed and his purple tie hung loose from his neck.

“Are we being audited?” She asked from the doorway with a teasing grin.

Gold looked up and smiled, his eyes looked red from staring at the papers but they lit up when he saw her, and to a lesser extent the stockings. In seconds she's clicked her heels across the hardwood floor and straddled his hips uncaring about the crumpled paperwork. Gold's hands went straight to her stocking clad thighs as she leaned in to kiss him passionate, it occurred to Elias that him sat there in his suit and glasses with Belle on top of him and papers scattered around them made it look like he was a teacher and she his naughty school girl. A grin tugged its way onto his mouth.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Sweetheart? I thought you'd still be at the library or dong your show.”

“I was getting tired and I wanted you.” She told him honestly before pressing another kiss to his lips. “And I was hoping you'd convince the boss to let me have the night off. You're always so good at making deals.”

Elias breathed her in. “I don't know, darling. I hear that the boss is a complete bastard. If you don't do your job he may spank you.”

“Promise?” The question came out breathless as his hands moved up her thigh, one slipping under her skirt.

“No panties, you are a naughty one.”

He felt Belle grin against his neck as her kisses trailed downwards, her hands slipped up to pull his tie free of his neck and pop his collar button open giving her better access to the firm flesh at his clavicle, but her hand was quickly batted away. Elias had a devilish grin on his lips and a spark in his eyes that Belle adored. It sent a needy shiver down her spine.

“I love you, Belle.”

Belle loved hearing those words in his thick Scottish accent, she opened her mouth to reply but nothing beyond a gasp came out as he pushed a hand up against her core. Belle panted and clung to his shoulders, she was so wet and his fingers were like little sparks jolting through her. Smooth, hot and utterly perfect in every single way . Elias' kisses to her pale neck were timed with his hand movements and Belle knew he wanted to see her desperate for him, begging. His thumb quickly found her sex and moved at a tormenting slow speed, only enough movement to force whimpers of need from her. Belle pushed her hips down to meet his hand a demand for the attention she craved.

“Greedy and demanded.”

He whispered in her ear, hot breath caressing her skin, and then finally slipped a finger inside her. Deep and loving. His hand moved between her spread legs pushing another finger inside his beautiful Belle, she was Lacey to everyone else but to him she would always be Belle. Everyone else could have Lacey, she wasn't real, but Belle was all his. Crooking his fingers made Belle whimper with need and he'd never heard anything more perfect in all his life. She was his, all _his_ and Elias' job for the rest of his life would be to please her … he looked forward to every single second. Gold thrust his fingers back in

“Elias!” She panted, eyes slipping shut.

Gold felt his hard member twitch at the mention of his name, it was _his_ name on her lips and no one else’s, her tone dripping in honey making him want to lap it up. His thumb circled her sex pushing her slowly closer and closer towards the edge. Belle let out a loud moan that echoed around the room, hips moving freely against his palm.

“My perfect Belle.”

Belle gripped his shoulders so forcefully that she was sure he'd have holes in his shirt from her nails when they were done, Belle couldn't bring herself to care though. She felt her blood sing and her body vibrate, Elias' breath ghosted over her pale skin teasing her nerve endings. His other large hand slipped to cup her breast hidden away behind nothing but the thin fabric of her crop top, in seconds he'd pulled the dark fabric down and had his thumb stroking against the small pink bud, Belle mewed clung to him tighter and crashed their lips together in a heated kiss of teeth and tongue, moments later he had her nipple standing to attention. Belle arched into his touch and another gasp managed to escape from her lips when he leaned down and took her nipple into his mouth.

His breath came shallow and fast as he watched the muscles of Belle's stomach twitch and contract, her body showing just how desperate for more it was when her hips settled into a slow determined grind against his talented fingers. The edge came into sight and Belle knew it was slippery and there was nothing to prevent her from falling off the edge. His torment didn't let up, those fingers forced the lava closer to the surface.

“Come for me, Angel.”

Belle did just that. The eruption happened and Belle fell off the edge of the cliff and plunged into the cold waters below.

“Elias!” She screamed breathlessly, hips bucking against his hand uncontrollably.

He nearly came there and then just hearing his name on her panting lips. Oh how he loved her. Belle leaned down to kiss him, her hair tickled his cheek. Gold ran his hands down from her firm hips to cup her backside in a tight grip as he explored her mouth. He could taste her last cup of coffee on his tongue, the perfect sweetness. Her hands found their way to the small buttons of his dress shirt, slipping them open as he left the kiss for air. With a smile on her face Belle tugged the shirt down his shoulders and threw it to the floor. Gold's eyes feasted on her tantalizing skin before pulling the crop top over her head and dropping it next to his shirt. Had it been anyone else Belle would have felt as though she were being eaten alive but with Elias she just felt like he was praising her.

Belle bit her bottom lip in the most seductive of ways and moved her hands down to cup his hardness. Gold took a nipple into his mouth teasing the bud while doing the same for the other breast with his hand, Belle moaned at the feeling of her body being called to attention again. Gold truly worshipped her. _Loved_ her. Belle's nails trailed over his lean body savoring his purr. Elias was surprisingly well built for an older man, handsome and clearly stronger than he looked. Gold could just sit there and look at her milk white skin forever but then she wiggled her hips causing Elias to moan uncontrollably. Belle smiled at that, she had gotten just what she wanted so she did it again. Another moan.

Elias stroked her soft thighs as those aqua blue eyes trailed down his chest to his silver belt buckle, nimble black-painted fingers clicked it open letting the constriction in his pants ease a little, only a little. Belle leaned forwards and kissed up his warm chest to meet his mouth again, his hands found her hips as he pulled back for air. His tongue lapped at her clavicle, he wanted to mark her as _his_ but knew he couldn't; Ashley may have known about them but the customers couldn't.

Belle seemed to have had enough of waiting and gasped out. “Elias, please.”

He could never deny her, not his Belle. She pulled him free of his pants and took the older man in hand, quickly, wantonly, she lined him up with her entrance and he thrust deep inside her. She gasped into Gold's ear.

“Move!”

All other thoughts had been pushed from Gold's mind, his paperwork just a distant memory. Belle arched her back to Elias' touch as if telling him not to hold back. Gold gripped her hips and pulled Belle down on himself, there was a moan but they where too lost in lust to know who it had come from; maybe both of them. The pace was slow at first but it soon built up, Belle pressed her hands on his chest helping her to keep the rhythm.

“Faster!” She begged.

Elias couldn't refuse that, all he wanted was to keep his angelic Belle happy. Just as he had her bordering on the edge she grabbed Gold by the shoulders and pulled him up to kiss her once again. The warm wet at her core was practically spilling over but Belle remained determined to hold on, she wanted that feeling to last forever. Gold had made it his mission to make her scream his name though and stated to thrust deeper, harder, faster, until Belle suddenly fell over the edge, digging her nails into his shoulders as she shouted out for him.

“Elias!”

Hearing his name on her breathless lips forced him over as well, gripping her thighs hard enough to bruise. Belle collapsed on top of him for a few moments before sliding to his side and resting her head on his shoulder.

“I love you, you know that?"

Elias smiled hearing her words. “I love you too. Always.”


	8. Chapter 8

August Booth had worked in Mister Gold's IT department for a little over seven years and to be honest the most interesting things to happen in that time were he'd gotten a new typewriter and there'd been a new version of Hannibal Lecter. It wasn't that August didn't like his job, no, it was peaceful enough and he had two friends to work with, Sidney Glass and Isaac Heller; though the latter had always disturbed August. The problem August had with his job was that nothing  _ever_ happened. So when Isaac had noticed discrepancies in their firewalls, discrepancies that none of the three of them could quite trace back to a source August had learned to be careful what he wished for. August had wanted to report it all to Gold and Jefferson but Sidney and Isaac had been firmly against it, all too convinced they could figure it out and put a stop to it before they ended up looking like incompetent morons. He'd been against it to begin with but when he'd stopped an thought about it August hadn't seen the harm in not mentioning it … wasn't like Gold knowing would get them a solution any sooner. No, the three of them could keep this quiet and deal with it, all that had happened was someone had looked about in their code; wasn't like a mad man had broken in to kill them all or anything.

It was early in the morning when August arrived at the small, brick building which served as The House of Scarlet's off-site tech support. A quick look at his watch revealed it to be eight-forty-five, he was early for once but he knew that Sidney and Isaac would still be there before him. He parked his motorbike and put away his helmet then slipped into the building and poured himself a cup of coffee. The brown-haired man sipped it as he walked down the stairs towards their work area. Over the years they'd affectionately named it The Cabin, to anyone else it would look like just that, a cabin of bricks but he and the others knew what was inside, knew about the stairs that led to a basement the size of a small aircraft hangar. When he'd first started working there August had felt like some kind of spy but alas he was just a tech. 

The Cabin was surrounded mostly woodland, crisp yellow-brown leaves and golden sun creeping through the dark fall trees. There wasn't a single sound and that was just the way August liked it. Upon reaching the door August entered the key pad code and the door buzzed loudly letting him inside, he was four steps down the concrete stairs when he realized something, the door hadn't shut. That door always closed, it was heavy and weighted; it _always_ locked. With a raised eyebrow August turned back up the stairs, his featured grew puzzled when he noticed a stick wedged in the door; one which looked to had been broken recently. 

“Strange.”

August bent down to pull it free from the heavy door, suddenly it was yanked open and a tall man knocked him backwards down the concrete stairs, coffee splashed everywhere and mug broken into tiny shards. Dazed he tied to push himself up but his left arm gave out as a searing pain rushed through his body; he'd certainly broken his wrist.

August's attacker chuckled to himself loudly as he descended the stairs and with no sense of tune, it just sounded … crazy. The stranger's face was covered by an old rubber clown mask, there were three tufts of blue hair sticking up from the stop and the mask had a huge psychotic grin that was far too big with blood-red lips. The eyes were small holes which revealed bloodshot eyes encased by messy blue that travelled up the masks forehead. The most terrible thing August saw though was the over sized red nose, _why did it have to be clowns? __August_ asked himself.

Before he could stand, speak, or anything else the masked attacker was on top of him pulling him up by his short brown hair and dragged him harshly back up the solid steps to the door.

Slams echoed in the hall. One! Two! Three! Four! The heavy, metal door opened and closed again and again until there was nothing of August's head left, until blood pooled on the floor and the sun filled morning became a day of horror. Slowly crimson spread to the edge of the top step where it drip, drip, dripped downwards, such a quiet noise but with the absence of all other sounds it may as well have been a car horn. 

The masked attacker had been left coated in blood from the thighs down, warm and crimson but he didn't care, no, he was there for a reason … Lacey.

It didn't take long to get to the rest of them, Isaac had been fixing one of the servers at the far end of the building and had his back to Nottingham, _never saw me coming._ _Sidney_ had put up a fight though, kicked, punched and almost won but nothing would take Keith Nottingham from his self set mission. The rest was silence.

~X~

Belle slumped down into her lecture hall chair and yawned hoping that Professor Hopper wouldn't see it. Ruby sat beside her and looked at the blue-eyed Australian with concern.

“Are you alright, Belle?” Ruby smiled. “Didn't get much sleep last night did you. I don't think Elias did either.”

“Oh my God, you know about that?”

Ruby laughed as took out her text book and flicked through to the right page.

“Belle, everyone knows about that. Except for Zelena and Cruella which I think I a very good thing. You know how those two are. Or at least I don't _think_ Zelena knows.”

Oh yeah Belle knew exactly how Zelena was. The auburn-haired beauty knew she should have told Elias about Zelena's stupid joke but to be honest she was scared. She should have told someone the instant SheriffOfNottingham sent her that image.  _Tell him when you get back to The House Of Scarlet. That's what you're going to do Belle._

“And you don't mind?” Asked Belle amidst the hubbub of all the other students. “That I'm with Elias? He is the boss.”

“Tamara is pissed but then again she's felt threatened by you since she met you.” Ruby offered a comforting smile, she'd quickly become Belle's best friend in only a short time. “Ashley is really happy about it, she sees Gold like a parent. As for the rest of us, he seems happy and I haven't seen him truly happy in all the time I've known him. You're good for him, Belle. Oh and you were rather obvious, you've never even brought a boy over.”

That was true, the idea just made her feel like she would be cheating on Gold. Things had been good over the last few days, even Cruella seemed to be warming up to her. Yes, Belle was officially happy to be at The House Of Scarlet, she had her friends and most importantly she had the man she loved.

“Thanks Ruby, you always know how to make me feel better.”

“Of course, Bells. You-”

“Miss Lucas, are you and Miss French going to listen to anything I say today?”

It was only then that the two girls realized the lesson had long since started and they'd been talking through it. The rest of the class stared at them, including Emma and Mary Margaret. Those two hadn't spoken to Belle much since the day she first sat with Ruby, Belle had tried to be friends with all three of them but neither approved of Ruby, it seemed they knew about The House, at least to some extent anyway. Belle still tried though, she'd even taken Emma a birthday present.

“Sorry, Professor Hopper.” The two girls said in unison.

Ruby even fluttered her eyes at their red-headed teacher, _God she's got it bad_ Belle thought. Said fluttering made their teacher blush and in that second Belle knew that Professor Hopper had it just as bad. And Belle had thought she'd had problems by dating her boss.

~X~

Hours had passed since the morning, Will had spent most of the day on watch at the security hut, not that anything had happened; a car had broken down across the street around eleven but the poor girl had soon been on her way. Robin was covering the back and Graham would be along to take Will's place shortly. The young man read through his magazine and sipped at the cup of coffee that Belle had kindly brought him after she'd gotten back from school with Ashley and Ruby. Will did like that girl she was so thoughtful and always had a smile, she just lightened the mood of everyone around her. Shame she'd chosen Gold, Will would have liked a shot at being there for her.

Will closed the magazine having read the article he was interested in and looked out down the small driveway, there he paused and peered closer. A man marched up the drive with what looked like make-up on and a jerry can in his hands. 

“Is this a fuckin' joke?” He questioned himself as he stood and left the hut. “If that's Robin I'm gonna kill him.” Will came to a halt realizing that it wasn't make-up. “Is that a fucking clown mask?”

The man kept walking showing no sign of stopping, sun bounced off his navy jump suit and made him look like something out of a B-movie. Will could hear the girls faintly laughing in the back yard and felt a shiver go down his spine. It had to be Robin, right? 

“Hey, if that's you Robin, it's not funny. If you're anyone else this is private property and I suggest you leave before I make you.”

The man was no more than an arms length away when he came to a halt, the masked man mumbled something but Will couldn't understand it. Didn't matter though, Will had heard what he needed, it had sounded like an English accent … _It's just Robin, we're alri- _Will's thoughts were brought to a sudden and quick ending when burning mace filled his eyes, it stung and the guard dropped to his knees in agony.

Will had no idea of the danger he'd just let approach him, Nottingham smiled under his mask and positioned himself behind the guard. Gloved hands slipped around his neck and moments later … _crack!_ Will's body fell to the floor limp and heavy landing on the gravel driveway with a thud, not much of Nottingham's strength was needed to drag Will away by the left leg, hiding him from the others. 

“One guard down, two to go.”

He couldn't turn back now.


	9. Chapter 9

Will was dead and the other two guards would be dead soon enough, a mask clad Nottingham just had to wait for the water to rise and with the storm coming it would do so quickly. The Englishman and the Irishman could have put up a good fight but they were no match for a taser and had gone down before they'd even known what was happening. Alarms should have sounded but Nottingham was in the system, he owned it and there was nothing they could do to warn anyone inside or the police. Once they were down Keith had dragged Graham and Robin to the river that ran behind the house and suspended them a few inches above the water line, a storm was coming quick and fast, every weather channel had said it would and the sky showed they were right, in an hour or so – two at most -it would start to rain letting the water level rise. The two guards would be awake by then and they would die knowing there was nothing they could do to stop their demise. _They'll suffer,_ Nottingham thought sadistically as he walked away to leave them to their fates.

Nottingham wiped his hands clean and walked back to the front of the house knowing there wasn't a single guard left, true luck was the only reason he'd managed to take them out. Once back at the front door Keith looked down to his phone, he'd been in The House Of Scarlet's system since around ten minutes after he broke into Gold's off-site tech unit and so he now owned the cameras. Seeing the foyer and surrounding area was clear Keith punched in the door code and stepped inside in perfect silence, no one could know he was there yet, not _yet_ things weren't ready.

The sun had started to set and it would be the dark of night soon enough, heavy rain would descend from angry storm clouds painting the sky like a Shakespearian play. He stood there by the front door for a long time, to watch the house through a camera was far different to actually being there. Keith Nottingham took a deep breath scenting the air; _coffee, wine, several perfumes and ... sex._ Nottingham grinned behind his mask, evil and horrific.

Music drifted softly from the long sunroom off from the kitchen. Quietly he moved through the empty dining room, rushed through the kitchen and into the sunroom before anyone had a chance to spot him from either the living room or hallway. Keith hadn't intended to start anywhere in particular but there was where the music came from and so he approached slowly so as not to alert anyone with his heavy boots on the hardwood flooring. Just a few steps and he was in the threshold to the long room. No one, the stereo had just been left on; well that was disappointing if nothing else.

Nottingham froze when he heard one of the girls giggle upstairs, _they haven't heard me ... can't have._ He was fortunately right, no one had heard him and no one had spotted him, Keith had made certain of that. Returning his attention to the sunroom he noticed the side patio door was cracked open and he grew curious. A storm as fast approaching so why would one of the girls left the door open? With controlled steps the masked man moved towards the door and pushed it open with one hand while he retried his trust – and large - Bowie knife from its sheath that had been clipped to his belt, it was heavy in his hands but Keith paid it no mind, he had work to do.

As soon as he was on the other side of the door he grinned despite the storm clouds forming high above, there on the floor leant against a wooden pool chair, with one sleeve rolled up, a belt wrapped tightly around her arm and a needle in her vein was Wick. Zelena was her real name, he'd learnt everything he could on the girls, even the doctor and house manager … especially Mister Elias Gold himself. Red, or Ruby Lucas as the rest of the world knew her, had been Keith's favorite until Lacey had shown up. Zelena though had always annoyed him, she wasn't pretty to him or funny she was just _there_ _taking up camera space._

Heroin coursed through Zelena's body silencing her mind's demand for the drug, everything in the garden was blurry and her music had faded into the background like she was in some kind of television show or a bad movie. The black poison rushed around her system blackening her blood and drew her another step closer to death but Zelena would have said talking it made her _get well._ The redhead was a lost cause and it seemed that she was the only one would couldn't see it.

Nottingham took a step forwards and Zelena's head snapped up to look at him with watery eyes and dry, parted lips. At first she thought she was hallucinating, why would a clown be on the patio away? Then her green eyes adjusted and she realized yes, there was indeed a clown looking at her.

“Can I help you?” She asked angrily but there was no reply. “Let me guess … you're here for Tamara. No, no, Baby. Yeah, Baby is into that kinky shit no matter how hard she hides it.”

Zelena chucked to herself as if she'd told a joke, the whole time Nottingham just stood there with his dark eyes locked on her. “Ashley's room is up the stairs in the middle hallway, last room on your right.”

He didn't move, didn't speak, just watched as Zelena pulled the needle from her arm and threw it down on the floor; out of sight out of mind. She snarled when she realized he was still there, still watching.

“ What!? Go and perv on someone else you sick freak! I-”

She was instantly cut off by Keith's large hands closing around her throat as the knife clattered to thr ground; he _hated_ that word! His grip was tight and the knife lay forgotten on the floor, she kicked out but he had her pinned, there was no escaping him now. One hand left her throat to grab the belt around her arm, he tugged it loose and angrily shoved it around her neck, Zelena tried to scream but her body coughed and gagged from the lack of air. Black bit at the edge of her vision and her mind screamed … for help … for air … to live and even while she was so close to death it screamed for heroin. Tears fell from her eyes and stung her cheeks like acid, legs and arms flying about but her strength failed her with each new airless heart beat. Her breath would re-emerge for a second or two as and when he allowed it, just to toy with her and prologue her suffering, a gasp to keep her alive long enough for another moment of torture, like a drowning victim fighting to the surface for one last breath. On TV they never talked about the noise, the deafening sound of being able to hear one's own blood rushing round their body in search of fresh oxygen. Never talked pressure that built up inside the victim's head, the lack of air wasn't actually what hurt, the pressure was. The Ferryman was almost there, a bone hand that reached out to drag her away. Zelena's fingers grew icy and her lips turned blue, eyes bloodshot and desperate. With a last rattled gag light faded from Zelena's eyes and the Ferryman threw her soul aboard his boat; Charon would not return it.

Pleased with his work Keith dragged Zelena, belt and all, over to the pool house and dumped her inside out of the way.

_**' I come to none before their warrant's sealed,** _

_**And, when it is, they must submit, and yield.** _

_**Though some by age be full of grief and pain,** _

_**Till their appointed time they must remain;** _

_**I take no bribe, believe me, this is true.** _

_**Prepare yourself to go; I'm come for you.'** _

~X~

Gold pulled out Belle's chair for her so as she could sit at the table before taking his own seat. The walls were a rich blue lined with silver-gold and soft piano music drifted through the air coating the noise of conversation with a pleasant melody. Elias looked as debonair as ever in a bespoke coal suit with matching shirt and a deep green tie, he was the perfect image of elegance. Gold couldn't think of how he looked though when he could see Belle, beautiful and amazing Belle. He'd given her the dress that evening and he had to admit she looked stunning, the dress was a bustier that came down to mid thigh and decorated with floral golden fine work that made the deep purple of it stand out boldly, the way it revealed her cleavage and shoulders made him wish they'd scrapped dinner and stayed in his room. Alas there they were.

“Do you take all you girls out to dinner, Mister Gold?” She asked in a teasing tone. “Is this a welcome to the family sort of thing?”

“No, Angel.” He smiled. “Just you. The letter I gave you for your door was the _welcome to the family thing.”_

“Oh.” He teasing grin grew. “So this is just you and me?”

“Just you and me.” He repeated, his brown orbs shone.

The two ordered not long after they'd sat down in the restaurant and sipped their wine while they waited. It wasn't lost on him that most people in the restaurant had probably assumed Belle was either his daughter or an escort, both ideas sickened him but he knew no one would think a woman as beautiful as _Belle_ could be with _him_ out of actual love or desire; money maybe. Elias decided to push that thought away when she started to tell him about the new book she's started reading.

“… I'm really enjoying _Crime and Punishment,_ I love the way Dostoevsky writes.”

“Yes, his work is utterly brilliant. I've read _The Brothers Karamazov_ so many times that I fear the book will soon fall apart.”

“Raskolnikov is such an interesting character though. Then again I suppose killers do manage to entice everyone to them in some way, that's why we have so many professions revolving around them. Those who take life intrigue.”

“I couldn't agree more.” Just as Gold finished his sentence a waiter set down their plates, topped up their wine glasses and left them with a polite smile. “The novel is constantly telling us what time it is as well, when Raskolnikov wakes up, when he plans to kill the pawnbroker, when Svidrigaïlov decides to kill himself and so on.”

 _Is this the best topic for the dinner table?_ Gold asked himself, _probably not, no. However Belle is happy._ _Honestly, Elias was just enjoying having an intelligent conversation._

“I think that's because of the versions of reality theme running though the book. We, as readers, need that so we can follow how things are progressing, the book is reasonably hard to follow otherwise.” She smiled.

Gold had to admit Belle made a good point.

“You're right, we do need those indications as to the time. What with all the flashbacks, dreams, hallucinations and sporadic moments of unconsciousness it is hard to keep up.”

Belle thought for a moment as she chewed her fish and then spoke with genuine enjoyment in her voice.

“Do you think Dostoevsky does that on purpose? He wants people confused, or do you think that was just how the words came together for him?” She asked curiously.

Elias took a moment for his own thoughts, he hadn't had such an intellectual dinner conversation in... well, as long as he could remember really; Regina had been able to keep up but that had been sparing more than conversation.

“' _Sometimes he fancied he had been lying there a month; at other times it all seemed part of the same day.'”_ He quoted. “I think that shows that it _is_ intended. Dostoevsky wanted us confused because most of the novel is told from Raskolnikov's perspective. The character is constantly missing pieces of time because he's hallucinating or delirious. By being told exactly what time it is constantly we understand how important time is to him even though he can't grasp it.”

Belle seemed pleased with that answer and the topic moved on to the novels tone for a good portion of the night. Gold could see storm clouds had formed through the window, all of them looked dark and violent, he knew that soon it would rain like the Gods were crying. Elias worried not though, a storm didn't mean evil was to occur; unfortunately the monster in his home did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The extract used at the end of Zelena's death is a ballad called 'Death And The Lady'. It was printed on a broadside by J. Deacon sometime between 1683 and 1700. It was printed as The Great Messenger of Mortality, or a Dialogue betwixt Death and a Lady. A broadside of the ballad appears in the Roxburghe Collection.


	10. Chapter 10

The clock teased at striking nine when Tamara started her night show. The storm had made the evening seem like it was lost in the early hours of the morning, dark and cold. Sheets of icy rain smashing against the thick windows to create an almost rhythmic melody, in a way it was a barrier separating The House Of Scarlet from the rest of the world, the rain may as well have been a mountain. Most of the girl's weren't a fan of rain – made their hair frizz – and the dark-skinned woman was amongst them; no, the only person in the house who actually seemed to _like_ rain was Gold, said something about the noise being comforting.

Tamara's lilac lingerie clung to her in all the right places and left almost nothing to the imagination; just what the customers wanted. She'd always been good at getting men to want her. Her dance was little more than a few spins since Tamara wasn't much of a dancer and never had been, that wasn't what she was paid for though. No, she was paid to look pretty and that was something she excelled at. Her hips moved with a hypnotizing sway that had everyone watching her feed surge with want for her. Tamara's laptop pinged thrice.

 **RIMMER_1:** Come on darlin take it off

 **WHITEKNIGHT:** Need more of that beautiful bod

 **POCKETROCKET:** Off Now!

Tamara just giggled and went back to tormenting them all, she knew there were more watching her and thinking the same. Girls like Mulan and Aurora only did this for the ability to put themselves through school and because Gold let them live in such a beautiful house, Ariel, Ruby and the other actually liked it, but Tamara did it for the money. Money, she made a lot of it working for The House Of Scarlet, true she enjoyed being idolized but if the pay dipped at all she'd be out in a flash with her winnings. Ashley had begged Gold to let her do this job, to let her be a House Girl as if it were some kind of right of passage. All of that was stupid in Tamara's mind, just do the job and cash out with the winnings, that was her motto.

"Only three of you with your hands free, huh?" She giggled in a well practised fake tone.

The screen pinged once more and she peered in to read her message; a request for a private session

She grinned. "Sorry boys, seems someone wants a private dance. See you next time."

Tamara blew a kiss to her webcam before allowing her channel to go private leaving it just her and a single viewer. With a cheeky grin – something else fake but heavily practised – Tamara slipped her right bra strap down off her shoulder then let the other follow suit, her skin was smooth and luxurious, warm to the touch from a lustful heat. Everything was normal, or so she thought.

 **HEARTBREAKER:** Is someone in the room with you?

Tamara's head shot round the dark room as an automatic reaction, it wouldn't be the first time Ashley or Aurora had barged into her room in search of some barley there outfit to steal, yet no one was there. Tamara shrugged, maybe their was some sort of smudge on HEARTBREAKER's screen or possibly he'd mistaken her lamp in the background for a person since it was fairly tall and not on. Honestly she didn't really care, sooner this dude came the sooner she could collect her money from Gold.

"No." Was all she said before she returned to her teasing movements designed to entice and beguile.

Her hands went up to unclasp her lilac bra but she was halted by yet another ping.

 **HEARTBREAKER:** Seriously, are you sure no one is there?

"You're really beginning to freak me out, you know?" Tamara looked round again but her room was still empty. "If you're going to piss about then this session is over."

Storms had always put her on edge, scared her; of course Tamara wouldn't _ever_ admit that as long as she lived. Tamara slammed the lid down with more force than she'd intended and froze, blood draining from her face leaving her a deathly pale. She swallowed audibly. The small mirror that hung on her wall behind her desk – an ovular thing that had been there when she'd moved in – showed there really was someone else there, and it wasn't her housemates. For a split second she hoped it was one of the men but no, she'd lived at the house long enough to know Gold, Jefferson or Victor when she saw them, even in the dark; no this wasn't any of them.

Tamara couldn't move, couldn't speak and then the flash of lightning came that lit up her room with a blue tint and her heart nearly leapt out of her chest. He looked like he was in some kind of workman's suit which hung loose around his middle clearly too big for him, but it was the clown mask that rooted her to the spot in her wooden chair, a truly horrific visage. She could feel his breath on her skin now, rancid and full of nicotine, foul and bitter like a demon crawling out from among the bodies of the long dead. He'd come so close that his feet must have been touching the back of her chair, she could feel his body heat.

Everything inside her told Tamara to scream, scream as loud and for as long as she could, her mind pulsed with the innate thought but it just wouldn't happen. The half-naked woman's form was frozen in time, turned to stone never to move again. For a time Tamara didn't know if she was even capable of drawing breath with her eyes locked on that mask in her mirror, from the way her heart had sped up and her lungs had tightened the correct answer seemed to be _no._ _She felt as if she'd fallen into an enclosure with a hungry tiger and she didn't want to make a single movement in case it launched._

In the end her stillness was her downfall. Suddenly his hands were around her neck, covered her mouth and bruised, silenced any scream that she could have made. His lips pressed a disgusting kiss to the soft spot behind her ear through the plastic mask and Tamara felt her skin crawl like an ant colony had made her skin their home.

"What is it they say about beauty?" Nottingham took a deep breath of Tamara's rich scent. "It's only skin deep?"

His voice was rough and uneven with a hint of cantankerous anger that ended in a barbed, spiteful spit. It was then that she saw the knife, the silver metal which glinted with malice. Somehow Tamara found her voice again and screamed as loud as her lungs would let her … but no noise came out, his hand was clamped down over her mouth so hard that bruises had started to form. The long blade came up and slashed at her long dark hair, haphazardly cutting the locks from her head. The treatment was forceful and angry, Nottingham pulled so hard that clumps came away from Tamara's scalp bloody and painful even without the aid of his knife. He didn't want her to be beautiful any longer, no, Nottingham wanted her to be ugly like he was, wanted her to feel her beauty drain away. Looks were what the girls of The House Of Scarlet survived on. He was there to take it all away.

Tamara's arms flew out desperately trying to fight him off but he was too strong like a raging mass of muscle; there was no escaping him. No escaping fate. The blade came down, strands of blood matted hair twisted around the hilt like some sick decoration. What came next was pain, _excruciating_ pain. Deep crimson blood dripped down her arm, shoulder to wrist, as the blade slid along her flesh cutting like it was nothing but warm butter for his morning toast. Her blood oozed from the long gashes so deep that they would scar her for life … if he let her get there. Another cut sparked across her cheek a flash flood of agony burning through her body like a poison as the tip of the blade popped through the skin and nicked her tongue.

"Can you see everything you have draining away until there's nothing but red?" He snarled against her ear as he forced her to look at the horror he'd done to her face in the mirror. "You people think you're better than me! You're nothing now! Nothing! You're the freak! The disgusting one!"

Tamara had no time to think, to try and scream again; not that she thought her shredded cheeks would let her mouth open. All that knowledge just let her inevitable death become even more terrifying, acidic tears pooled in her dark eyes blurring Tamara's vision leaving her view nothing more than a distorted red haze. She could smell her own blood so strongly that the taste of iron seeped into her mouth and down her throat, vile as if her blood has somehow become venom.

She kicked out again, elbows, feet, shoulders, hands everything Tamara had she used, her body may have been frozen at first but that was gone now and the young beauty refused to make it easy for him. Nottingham groaned and fell backwards when her elbow buried itself in his ribs, any harder and she'd have heard his ribs crack and crumble; shame she hadn't. His arms were off her and Tamara waisted no time, not a single second, she was a fighter. The dark-skinned woman had worked hard for everything she had and her life was not something she'd give up easily. In an instant she was charging towards the white bedroom door, screaming as loud as possible as another flash of lightning and a crackle of thunder sounded. Deep down she knew no one would hear her, Tamara's room had been soundproofed long ago thanks to her _loud_ sexual activities, and with the placement of her room only Cruella stood a chance of hearing her; that wouldn't happen, she'd have been in the sauna like always. Still Tamara screamed though. Her hand slipped around the door handle but too late, Nottingham was back on his feet and in no more than a micro second one arm slipped back around her throat while the other brought the bowie knife which jabbing deep into the back of her neck causing her to go limp in an instant. He'd severed the spinal cord just below the brain step but above the phrenic nerve, a lucky motion rather than something born of knowledge. Ichor flowed from her body still warm and coated his hand, Keith released her and let Tamara fall to the floor. She wasn't dead, not yet. Her death would be slow as she asphyxiated but Tamara wouldn't know what was happening to her, she would never wake up. Maybe that was an accidental kindness. Either way Nottingham didn't care, he had made her suffer and now he was done, there were others to hurt, others to make suffer like he did deep down inside.

**Gaily I lived as ease and nature taught,**

**And spent my little life without a thought,**

**And am amazed that Death, that tyrant grim,**

**Should think of me, who never thought of him.**

~René Francois Regnier

~FLASHBACK~

Keith stared at the twelve-year-old over by the fountain with her friends and a soft smile, she was beautiful with her long auburn hair and big eyes. For most of his childhood he'd been moved around from one foster home to another and he'd given up on ever being adopted when he'd turned eight. However, he'd been in his new place just over a year, longer than he'd spent anywhere else and had only been backhanded a handful of times – well, maybe a few more than a handful. Still, Keith was the happiest he'd been in quite some time, that was why he'd allowed himself the indulgence of developing a crush on Anna. The girl was a few months older than him and had moved in next door recently with her parents and twin brother, Andrew. Keith had always been awkward around people his own age, especially girls, the older ones in his other foster houses had always taunted him for one thing or another, pushed and bullied him. Keith didn't know exactly why but from what they'd yelled and screamed at him he knew it to be because he was an ugly little freak whose mother had dumped him because he was worthless. At first he'd not believed them but if you spent your younger years being told the same horrid thing over and over again, there came a time when you just accepted it as fact even if it wasn't.

Anna seemed nice though and, of course, was remarkably beautiful. That was why Keith found himself gathering together every shred of courage he had so he could go over there. This was it, he was going to do it!

As calmly as possible Keith made his way over to the fountain to Anna and her friends and plastered on a grin he hopped was charming.

" _Hi, Anna," Keith greeted; though he was twelve Nottingham was rather tall and disturbingly thin._

" _Keith, right?_ _"_ _She greeted flatly as if confused by his sudden appearance._

Around him Anna's friends stared at him blankly like he didn't belong and a voice at the back of his head screamed out that he really didn't. Nice girls didn't like him, no one liked him. Still, in that moment Nottingham was just happy she'd remembered his name. Anxiet _y_ _was something Keith had always suffered with but he intended to force himself through this, be brave._

"Oh, he's the pervert!" One girl who'd been perched on the fountain edge suddenly grinned like she'd remembered something hilarious. "The one who wears his foster mom's clothes!"

Keith's brow furrowed deeply, he'd never done that, he'd never even thought of doing that. All the girls around him erupted into laughter including Anna; that sound broke his heart. Just for a moment he'd let himself believe that he could have a friend and then boom, taken from him before he'd even gotten a proper sentence out.

"That he does, Cecily." His foster-brother appeared then with a soccer ball under one arm and wrapped the other around Anna with a smug grin. "Wears her lipstick too."

Suddenly it all made sense, Charlie was about a year older than himself and had made it his mission in life to make sure Keith knew his place as a worthless piece of shit for no reason other than he could. The girls all started to laugh again and Charlie got a devilish glint in his eyes, next thing Keith knew the soccer ball had bounced off his face and knocked him backwards onto his ass. Everyone just laughed harder and Charlie grabbed his ball so he could do it again.

"Freak!" Charlie screamed and started to kick him.

"Charlie, don't hurt him too bad." Said Anna and just for a second hope returned to Keith's damaged heart and destroyed familial map. "His lip's bleeding."

The elder boy must have seen it and decided instantly to stamp it out because he spun around to Anna and the other girls without missing a beat.

"You know he watches you get dressed through your window, right? He's a freak!"

That wasn't true either, their bedrooms were on opposite sides of the houses, in fact if anyone could watch Anna change it would have been Charlie himself. Keith opened his mouth to say that, to try and stand up for himself but before a single syllable could get out Anna had launched forwards looking horrified.

"What?!" She screamed. "You sick freak! You pervert!"

Then she joined in kicking him while Charlie laughed and only encouraged Anna's friends. Before Keith knew it he was surrounded being beaten for things he'd never done while the word 'freak' got chanted like a mantra. He didn't know why people hated him, why the people at every home he'd ever been sent to either totally ignored him or beat him. What hurt the most was that the kids were right about his mother, she had just dumped him one day, he'd been three and just dropped off at a tall, scary building to never see her again.

Only when the repeated screaming of 'freak' grew so loud that people started to take notice did the other children stop kicking him. Charlie grabbed his ball and tucked it back underneath his arm while the others walked away, the elder boy though, he paused along with Anna though, that sadistic grin still on his face.

"Stay away from my girlfriend you freak." Warning having been made Charlie looked rather pleased with himself.

Amazingly Anna moved closer and held out a hand for him to get up, that hope bubbled again inside his heart and Keith reached out to take her hand. He was maybe three to four inches off the ground when she simply let go and Keith smashed back down against the grassy and gravel ground. More laughing, like fading lyrics as they left him their in pain and bleeding in the park. For a long time Keith just lay there, he hated the word 'freak'.


	11. Chapter 11

"Do we have to leave?" Belle asked in a tone bordering on begging.

The evening had been so magical and utterly wonderful that she didn't want to head home. Yes, Belle could spend the night happy and curled up in Gold's arms but Belle still wanted the evening to last just a little longer. She'd spent the night indulging in fine cuisine – her garlic shrimp fettuccine had been just about perfect – and the Chardonnay still lingered on her tongue. The auburn-haired beauty loved the way Elias' honey chocolate orbs lit up in the candle light giving them an almost supernatural glow, every time she looked back to to him Belle couldn't help smiling at the sight.

Belle hadn't ever had such a wonderful night in all her life, no man she'd ever dated before had taken her out to dinner at such an up scale restaurant, the most she'd gotten was a burger at some diner and maybe a movie. _This is something else entirely,_ Belle thought quietly to herself.

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart." He began after drinking the past sip of his wine. "They do close I'm afraid and even my money can't keep them open indefinably."

Belle smiled at that little tease, he was right, they couldn't stay there forever no matter how badly she wanted to. The candle had burnt down and they were one of only three couples left in the building, anyway leaving the restaurant didn't mean the evening was over. Belle had plans for when they got home, sweaty, pleasure fuelled plans.

"I guess you're right." She admitted as he grabbed the waiters attention.

Gold paid the check and made sure to hide the total from her, knew she would approve of him spending so much on her. Belle enjoyed all the fine wine and food but she didn't need him to go to such stretches all the time, Belle wanted to be with Gold because he was Elias Gold not because of his money; something he'd never quite experienced before.

The storm was in full swing by the time they got into his beloved Cadillac, water poured down with violent rage. _If this was a Shakespearian play the storm would be warning us of some tragedy to come, o_ h Belle had no idea just how right her thoughts would prove to be.

The drive home was peaceful despite the force with which the rain came down, powerful and angry. The two didn't speak much, nothing really needed to be said and in such weather Belle thought it best to let Elias concentrate on driving along the dark streets. She watched out the dripping windows to see the world go by, heavy balls of water which plummeted from the heavens intent on soaking everything in their path, trees wept and the ground started to flood. Street lamps provided a rhythmic ball of light on ether side of the road but when Belle spotted them through the harsh rain they looked like angry, sharp masses; distorted from the comfort and aid they were supposed to provide. Everything just seemed black in the cold darkness of the night, leaving Gold's Cadillac as the only glimmer of safety in an ocean of dark and danger. Truly it was an awful night.

Belle sighed a quiet breath of thankful relief when he finally pulled into the large driveway and parked the car in the vast garage. Neither saw Graham, Will or even Robin but the two didn't worry much. It was raining like a bitch and so they were probably tucked in the security rec room just watching from the cameras; probably didn't want to head out in waterproof coats and holding flashlights just to conclude 'yeah, it's still raining'. Belle nor Gold thought too much about it as they entered the house strutted passed Doctor Whale's office and marched up the back stairs towards her bedroom.

The second he'd shut the door – with a little too much eager force if the quiet bounce of her sapphire colored L was to be believed – Belle grinned up at him wantonly and a moment later she had started to press soft kisses to his cheek, _can't let the cameras know_ she thought. However, her intentions were utterly clear to Elias who felt Belle press her lilac lace panties into his hand. They were wet. _Oh God Belle!_ _Some days he honestly wondered if she was trying to kill him._

Knowing she had him under her complete control the auburn-haired beauty wandered off into the closet to fix her hair and strip out of her wet things without a care in the world. A darkness coated his honey eyes, a darkness made of want and need for that beautiful, radiant creature the angels had named Belle French. Gold shed his wet outer coat and suit jacket then folded it up and set it down on her desk careful to avoid coming into the view of her camera; why hadn't they just gone to his room? He could feel his dress pants uncomfortably stuck to his legs due to the heavy rain. Elias raked a hand through his hair to knock water free of the graying locks, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow when far more water came out than he'd imagined, all he'd done was walk to the car. He spared a moment to glance over at the window where rain came down like a sheet; a pluviophile's wet dream.

When his honey eyes finally looked back up they practically glazed over with want to the point he had to steady himself by his cane. Belle had stripped down to absolutely nothing but her birthday suit and knelt on her bed, knees apart invitingly; a grin plasters on her stunning face. This woman truly was going to be the death of him.

"We shouldn't." He told her sorrowfully; because who in their right mind told a naked twenty-one year old who was naked and ready for them no? "You know how I feel about the cameras."

Any other time Belle would have been pleased with how caring he was towards her, how he refused to let her _ever_ believe he would pay her for sex with himself, however, that night all she wanted was the man she loved inside her. With a disgruntled sigh Belle stood climbed up onto her desk and turned the camera to face the wall before hopping down and pulling him back to the bed with her, completely unaware that the camera feed had long since been shut down to the public, there was only one person who could still see those cameras.

"Then don't pay me." Was all she said before she pushed Elias down on his back and straddled him.

Gold hardened instantly and to be honest he was surprised it had taken him that long, normally he wasn't able to control himself around her. Elias cupped the back of her neck and brought her down for a deep passion filled kiss that forced his hips to buck upwards in search of her heat. Hands slid down her milky thighs savoring the feel of her soft flesh, he was so unworthy of her. Soon enough Belle wanted more and her hips started to wiggled without permission and needy whimpers slipped from her lips as he drew delicate pattens along her hips.

"Needy are we, Sweetheart?" He teased.

He felt Belle grin against his neck as her kisses trailed downwards, her hands slipped up to pull his slightly damp tie free of his neck and pop his collar button open to give her better access but those delicate hands were quickly batted away. He had a devilish grin on his lips and a spark in his eyes. _I can wait, Belle's more important_ he told himself as he pushed a hand deep down to her core. Belle gasped instantly and clung to his shoulders, she was so wet and his fingers were as little sparks jolting through her like electricity. Smooth, hot, decadent and utterly perfect. His thumb quickly found her glistening sex and moved at a tormentingly slow speed, only enough movement to force whimpers of need from his perfect girl. Belle pushed her hips down to meet his hand and demand the attention she craved.

"Needy _and_ demanding." He whispered in her ear and then _finally_ slipped a finger inside her wet heat.

Hot breath ghosting over the skin of her neck. His calloused hand moved between her spread legs pushing another finger deep inside his beloved and crooking them.

"Elias!" She panted with want.

Gold felt his hard member twitch and throb at that one simple word, her tone dripping in honey. _No, this is about her. My sweet little angel._ _He'd have to get out of his wet dress pants soon though, they'd started to irritate him_ _._ His thumb circled her sex pushing her slowly closer and closer towards the edge. Belle let out a loud moan but she didn't care who else heard her, by now all the other girls had figured out she was his, it was just the cameras that didn't know, couldn't know.

"That's my good girl."

Belle gripped his shoulders so forcefully that she was certain he'd have holes in his suit when they were done, then again Belle didn't much care. She felt her blood boil and her body vibrate, his breath ghosted over her pale skin teasing her nerve endings. His other large hand slipped to cup her breast and another moan fell from her parted, pink lips, in seconds he had the nipple standing to attention. Belle arched into his touch as another gasp poured out from her lips when he leaned down and took her nipple into his mouth .

Gold's breath came shallow and fast as he watched the muscles of Belle's stomach twitch and contract, her body showed just how desperate for more it was when her hips settled into a slow determined grind against his talented fingers. The edge came into sight and Belle knew it was slippery up on that ledge and there was nothing to cling onto save for her lover 's strong shoulders. His torment didn't let up, talented fingers forced the lava closer to the surface. Suddenly the eruption happened and Belle fell from the edge of the cliff and plunged into the cold waters below.

"Elias!"

Gold nearly came hearing that, his name on her lips, the panting that followed making it even worse. He clung to his sweet, little goddess as she came down from her blissful high. He was sure there would be crescent moon shaped bruises in his shoulders for days to come but he couldn't bring himself to care a single iota, only Belle would see them. Gold was so happy to have pleased his little angel, it was his job to take care of her and he'd done just that. Just as she opened her bright blue eyes again he pulled his hand up to his mouth to suck clean his fingers, Belle's breathing faltered for just a second then let out a little whimper that put a grin on his face.

"What can I say, Sweetheart? You taste delightful." Elias' accented voice teased devilishly.

Before he knew what had happened Belle had slipped down his legs to kneel on the bed between his knees and her hands easily opened his belt. He was impossibly hard and fought not to cum the instant he felt her hot breath on his freed member, _she's so beautiful on her knees._ The blissful feeling of wet fabric being removed ended up being pretty euphoric as well strangely enough.

"Elias." She said softly before taking him into her mouth; just because she knew what hearing his name on her lips did to him.

Belle ran her tongue around the head and Gold's hand flew to her hair faster than anyone could say _oh Belle,_ his fingernails scraped along her scalp and only encouraged this beautiful minx. He longed to hold her still and chase after his climax but Gold kept himself under control by only allowing himself to cradle the back of her head.

She'd only done this a few times before upon Gaston's insistence, he hadn't been such a mouthful as Elias, but then again Gaston had always been overcompensating for something. Belle had never really enjoyed it before but Gaston had just tried to choke her whereas the way Gold gripped her hair softly and didn't thrust into her mouth gave her the confidants to enjoy herself. Mister Gold wasn't stupid he could tell she was reasonably new to this, every now and again her teeth would catch him and when she tried to take him down deeper she gagged.

"Don't force yourself, Sweetheart." Belle wouldn't give up though. "Use your hand instead." He told her with his eyes fixed on her beautiful mouth.

Belle was a quick study and in only a few seconds she had her hand around what her mouth couldn't handle, she hummed happily sending those pleasurable vibrations up through her lover's body. His eyes fluttered shut as his head fell back against the rich blue pillows, Gold's grip on her hair grew tighter and Belle knew he was close; sure enough a few moments later he was pulling on her hair trying to get her to release him.

"Belle, I...I'm gonna..."

She refused at first but Gold managed to pulled her away gently, he wanted this to last and he wasn't _anywhere_ near done with Belle. As soon as he got her to release him Gold flipped her onto her back and moved to cover her. Belle forced his buttons open and all but ripped of his shirt as he did the same with his irritatingly damp dress pants and boxers, they needed each other more than words could describe.

There wasn't any more teasing, no more gentle touches, the two craved one another and no more time was reserved for games. Gold slammed into the hilt after he'd fished around in her beside drawer for the condoms he knew all his House Girls kept and Belle let out a moan that may have originally started out as his name. He loved the sound of her breathless. Gold stilled long enough for her to grow used to him before he pulled almost all the way out only to slam back in with force. Gentle was over, rough was in. Belle clung to him, pulling the elder man down by his shoulders to kiss, her tongue grazed over his teeth and without warning he bucked deeper; Belle nearly screamed. Oh how she wanted him, needed him, _craved_ him.

In a fit of speed Gold had her legs over his shoulders in a desperate attempt to get deeper, the young woman would remain quiet no longer, her hips bucked wildly while pants, moans and a mantra of his name tumbled from her lips with every single movement. She could feel pressure building up at the dam again and knew he wasn't far behind.

"I love you." He told her breathlessly, eyes locked with her azure blue ones.

"I love you too." Every word was the truth and Belle knew it.

With one final deep penetrating thrust Belle came for a second time, the dam burst causing her to see stars and scream out, Gold felt her walls clamp down around his throbbing member and he could take it no longer he came, their pleasure found together. If asked later Elias still wouldn't have any idea how he found the strength to collapse beside her rather than _on_ her. That wasn't important though; he didn't even care that his ankle would be screaming at him the next day.

Belle took comfort in his hand stroking through her auburn curls almost absent-mindedly. Everything was silent, just them in their post orgasmic bliss, together. Mister Gold hadn't been that happy since, well, _ever_ really. The world could have ended there and then and the Scotsman wouldn't have cared at all, Belle was his everything now. His body still pulsed with euphoria and from Belle's little moans he knew she still felt it too, he looked down to his beautiful angel with those dazzling blue eyes of hers and smiled, seeing the way her lips shined and her hair was out of place she looked utterly debauched. _Perfect._

~X~

Ruby sat in the play room with one of the newest guys she had taken to bringing to the house. Kyle was his name, a tall thirty-three year old redhead with blue eyes. Of course Kyle had absolutely no idea but Ruby had chosen him for his resemblance to a certain Professor Archie Hopper. To Kyle the evening was going to be fantastic, he got to fuck one of the hot chicks from the House of Scarlet website but to Ruby it was just work. That was how she'd decided that if they got to do something he wanted to do they were going to do something she wanted to do as well. That had ended up being the two of them sat on the couch watching _The Creature From The Black Lagoon,_ _Ruby_ had a soft spot for the old black and white movie ever since Professor Hopper had mentioned it and she'd actually gone and watched it.

"Red, how much longer is this movie?" Asked Kyle unaware of her real name.

"Shush, it's only got twenty more minuets then I'll fuck you." She told Kyle matter-of-factly.

Kyle let out a sigh, completely oblivious that if he had been Archie Hopper they'd have been on round two by now; possibly round three. _It's unnatural to want that man as much as I do,_ Ruby thought to herself. Both were completely ignorant of the tall masked intruder stood not six feet behind them watching the pair from halfway up the main stairs. He could have killed them both by now and left their bodies to cool on the floor but no. _Red is a pretty one, she can wait._ With that he wandered off leaving Ruby and Kyle to live a few hours longer. They had no idea how close to death they had just come.


	12. Chapter 12

Leaving Ruby and her soon to be lucky man, Kyle, alone Keith climbed the stairs calmly and quietly without a single sound; co-conspirators who kept his presence a secret as he climbed them. The cat would chase the red mouse later. Tamara and Wick were already gone, dead, never to return and Keith prided himself at that. _He'd_ been the one to get rid of them, the pretty girls who thought they were better than everyone else. _He'd_ done that, _he'd_ made their hearts stop. It didn't matter where these girls ran to inside the house, it would ultimately end up being their Samarra.

Keith looked up to the camera that watched over the west hallway and smiled through his clown mask. This evenings show was all for him, no one else got to see the entertainment, the bloodshed, the death and trauma. It was all for him. The first door he came to was Aurora's but quickly he found the room dark and vacant, not to worry though, Keith knew she'd just be next door. Slowly he made the few steps to Mulan's room and he grinned knowing the pair would be next. His mind screamed as he gripped the door handle in a vice-like grip, the blade hung heavy in his other hand, drops of Tamara's blood dripped from the silver blade and strands of her long hair clung to the hilt like some sick decoration. Nottingham knew that by the end of the night he would have a mosaic of red on that blade, a trophy, a glorious reminder of his crimson artwork.

The door handle finally turned slowly allowing him entrance to the room, after a quick glance down the long hall of bedrooms just behind him, Mulan's bedroom was simple compared to the others, a little smaller as well. She didn't seem like the sort to indulge in _things_ just because she could, no, Mulan wasn't a frivolous women who lived for nothing more than acquiring possessions as some of the others did; Cruella being chiefly amongst them. The walls were painted in a dark green that matched the linens of her bed up against the east wall, a painting hung above the bed in a large white frame and it took Nottingham a second to realize what it was, a Samurai with his sword unsheathed. _Quite the little warrior, isn't she?_ Mulan herself stood in the middle of the room with her back to him and her headphones in playing some tune he couldn't make out. The gorgeous woman moved around on her pink yoga mat, stretching her body like he'd seen her do on so many occasions before via the cameras; it was even more beautiful to witness in person. That mat would make such a nice canvas for her blood. No pretty Princess though, no pretty Princess at all; _shame_.

Suddenly the door he'd just entered through swung open fully and Princess entered with a bowl of fruit in her hand. Oh this day really was a treat! Keith didn't even remember thinking he just leapt into action determined to remain the one in control, his blade-less hand shot out and grabbed Princess by the throat pushing the door shut again with his hip uncaring as to the fruit bowl which crashed to the floor and landed on the cowhide rug almost soundlessly. By the time Mulan had turned around and pulled her headphones free of her ears to she what the sudden bumps were pretty Aurora had her back pinned to his chest and his large sweaty hand clamped down around her fragile throat.

"Say one word and I snap her neck." Keith sneered through his mask which left it distorted but fully understandable.

He could see the fear in Mulan's rich brown eyes, knew that if she'd had a fighting chance she'd probably win; he'd seen her and that security guard, Robin, sparing like there was about to be another crusade. Still, this was better he decided, Princess Aurora could be used against her warrior wannabe girlfriend. Nottingham could feel the porcelain skinned woman all but hyperventilating against his body, for a moment he thought her heart might give out; that would have been boring and inflicted far too little pain though.

"Aurora, it's going to be alight." Mulan tried to calm her, Keith had never heard Princess' real name before and he had to admit it suited her; certainly explained why The House of Scarlet had named her Princess.

"Aurora?" He began as he took a lungful of her floral perfume. "Why that's a beautiful name. It'll look lovely on your headstone."

Aurora's breath hitched and Nottingham felt a sinister grin pull itself onto his lips. Mulan looked from the blade at Aurora's throat to her beloved's eyes then back again, Mulan was just as afraid as Aurora only she refused to show it. Seemed she didn't know her eyes gave her away when it came to matters of the heart.

"Jamie-" Aurora started but a squeeze to her throat silenced anything she was going to say.

 _Jamie, another pretty name to go on a headstone. Maybe they could be buried side by side._ Keith honestly didn't care what their real names were, if he did that would make them _people_ and all Nottingham wanted them to be was dead. Besides, he'd gotten into The House of Scarlet's systems, if he'd wanted their real names he could have found out really quite easily.

"Be a princess would you, darling?" He teased Aurora. "There's something in my back left pocket, grab it would you? Oh, and don't try anything or I'll gut you like a pig."

Aurora obeyed and slipped her shaking hand back into his left pocket to retrieve whatever it was he needed, her hand hit cold mental and when she pulled her hand back she found two pairs of silver handcuffs.

"Handcuffs?" Aurora questioned herself quietly, her voice shook more than her hands did.

"Throw a pair at lover girl over there, will you?" He asked it as a question but both girls knew it was no such thing.

Aurora did as instructed and tossed a pair of silver cuffs to Mulan's feet where they landed with a short, dense thud. The dark-haired woman peered down to the silvery metal then back up to Aurora and the masked man. She knew what he wanted but there was no way in hell she would just do it, she needed to make him ask, give her longer to think of a way to help Aurora. That didn't happen though, if Mulan ran at him or screamed out for someone Aurora would likely be dead before she hit the floor. If this masked assailant was in the building then Graham, Robin and Will were already gone, Gold had taken Belle out for dinner and Victor had done the same with Jefferson. Anyone who would have had the brute strength to pin this guy down was either dead already or absent. Mulan's heart broke, how many of them had he already killed? Were her friends lying in pools of blood in the bedrooms around her or were she and Aurora the first? Mulan hated being helpless, but for Aurora's sake she had no choice.

"Cuff one hand to the foot of your bed." When Mulan made no attempt to move Keith increased the pressure on Aurora's throat from his knife letting just a little cut appear. "Now!"

Mulan had no other choice, if she screamed both Aurora and she would be dead before anyone got there, that was if anyone was still alive to come running. She couldn't charge him, couldn't scream, couldn't even run since he blocked the door. Following his commands was her only option, and so she did. She knelt down and cuffed the silver handcuffs to her heavy wooden bed frame then the other to her wrist.

"Good girl." He praised quietly. "Now you, same as her."

Keith walked Aurora over to the bed with a tight grip which forced her up onto her tiptoes and pushed her so she knelt as soon as they were close enough; Nottingham still behind her with the blade at her neck. Aurora could feel her pulse pressed against the knife's sharp edge as she obeyed his command but the blade fell away and was replaced by his strong hand holding her in place. Three sets of eyes watched the knife make its way over to Mulan's soft wrist and slash it, a long, deep vertical line that leaked crimson as if it were a newborn stream.

"Your girlfriend is going to bleed out slowly and you're going to watch, little bitch." He snarled.

In seconds he had Aurora top ripped from her body, crammed into her mouth and tied, Mulan's shirt followed quickly behind. He didn't want them screaming out for help; no, no, couldn't have that. The blade danced down Aurora's trembling body until it came to a halt below her navel. The pain was sharp and instant, burned through her body and spilt out onto the dark floor. Never before had such agony surged through her body, such an endless fire under her skin, was this what it felt like to die? With a single burst of strength from her suffering body Aurora screamed loud and long; all for naught though since the makeshift gag dampening the noise and left it as little more than a kitten's meow.

"Would you two keep it down please, I need my- Oh my God!" Seemed a kitten could still be heard.

Tink froze at the sight before her, eyes wide. It was like someone had pushed pause for a moment, not a single person moved they just looked at one another and then Tink was gone. If it had been a cartoon there would have been a Tinker Bell shaped smoke cloud left behind. Keith sneered beneath his mask and took off after her, racing down the hallway leaving Mulan and the pretty Princess to die a slow and painful death as their blood mixed together on the ground; they'd always wanted to be together and Keith wouldn't stop them.

Tinker bell raced down the hall towards the main stairs and the front door, her legs hurt as they pounded into the floor, bare feet bruising more with each step and then her feet stopped touching the floor. Keith had her in his arms with a hand over her mouth as he lifted her into the air, before she had a chance to so much as try to scream he threw her over railing and down to the large living room below. The blond landed with a heavy thud that made the house shake. There was no other noise as he watched her, no coughing or cries of pain, just that of bones braking on impact. He'd always wanted to do that, ever since that little party the girls had set up. Gold had gotten their mattresses all taken down for them so they could all jump over the railing and bounce at the bottom. It had been a bit of fun for them years ago but Keith still remembered it, remembered their laughing and the way Wick had teased Baby when she'd gotten scared of the height. He'd not exactly wanted it to all go wrong and injure one of the girls, not back then, but the idea had filled his mind savagely.

"Three more little whores down." Keith smiled to himself as he walked away pleased Ruby had moved herself and her date.

 **Because I could not stop for Death**  
 **He kindly stopped for me**  
 **The Carriage held but just Ourselves**  
 **And Immortality.** **We slowly drove - He knew no haste**  
 **And I had put away**  
 **My labor and my leisure too,**  
 **For His Civility.**

**Because I Could Not Stop For Death by Emily Dickinson**


	13. Chapter 13

Keith stared down at Tinker bell with dead eyes, her body lay broken on the ground far below; unmoving and unnoticed. Power surged through his body like a fire, a blast wave of primal energy that had quickly started to become a craved addiction. He held power over life and death in this house. He could be a god, an omnipotent being delivering death to the unworthy mortals. There were more to kill though, many more before he got to Lacey, and so he peered down to his cell phone that displayed each of the camera feeds, the sauna caught his eye; Cruella was always in there.

"Seems you've trapped yourself." He chuckled.

~X~

Cruella loved the sauna, it was a place that had become completely hers since she'd joined Gold's little band of glorified cam girls. It wasn't often she had to share since it was no secret that she and the other girls weren't on the best of terms; true, Tamara and Zelena had sometimes joined her but not often. She glanced over to the wooden sauna clock beside the door as she relaxed further in her usual spot. By now most of the girls would either be doing or getting ready for their shows, Cruella herself liked to do her own just after dinner when most men were fat and happy to just finish off the day, it also gave her the evening to herself.

Steam tickled her skin, a towel the only modesty she had not that Cruella really needed it what with her line of work. Her eyes were closed and her skin hot, _the fans do love me wet._ Everything was soothing just as always … and then she thought it grew hotter. Ridiculous surely. She put it down to a trick of the mind for a moment or two but soon couldn't deny it any longer. When the steam started to burn like tiny drops of acid her eyes flicked open urgently, too hot, _scolding_. In hast she shot to her feet forgetting entirely about her towel and Cruella darted to the door, but it wouldn't budge, not a single inch. Locked! The Sauna didn't even have a lock on it!

"Help!" She screamed as she hoped this was one of Zelena's stupid pranks; her head a little dizzy from her day of gin drinking. "Help!"

But no one came, not a single soul. The temperature rose so high that she felt her throat tighten, she couldn't breath, it burnt, it hurt, it stung. Steam left her stood in a cloud of gray-white practically blinding her to everything around her. Suddenly an idea burst into her mind and Cruella felt around quickly for the towel she'd dropped until she stood triumphant with the damp fabric as her skin burnt. In seconds one of the flaming hot rocks was wrapped within it and the eldest girl at The House Of Scarlet slammed it against the tiny glass window praying it would smash. Three sharp, loud and desperate bangs sounded as she did all she could to get out. Her heart thundered in her chest. Cruella fought with everything she had, every single scrap of self-preservation, and finally, _finally,_ the glass gave way letting cool air into the sauna while steam poured out like some sort of sideways chimney.

As quickly as she was able Cruella stuffed her arm out the broken window, cutting it with her speed and desperately felt around for whatever had trapped her, didn't take long for her slender fingers to scrap across something thick and wooden. She ripped away the long rod keeping the door closed and tossed it away where it bounced dramatically over the locker room floor. She was out, she was free! The elder beauty shoved the door open then raced down the halls, through the kitchen completely oblivious to the masked man she passed in her fit of horror. The sunroom's patio doors were thrown open and Cruella charged out into the night naked as the day she was born completely uncaring as to the weather before diving into the ice-cold pool. The cold, the ecstasy, absolute bliss against her overheated skin; the larva dissipated and sent away the pain.

Cruella broke through the water drawing rich night air into her lungs, peace that was what she felt despite the rain pouring heavily down on her. Her brain didn't think about what had happened she was in too much shock for thought, didn't think why no one had bothered to cover the pool what with this storm. Instead she just swam to the edge intent on calming herself down before she went to find out what exactly Zelena had been playing at... _boots_? Cruella's devilish eyes shot up the workman's suit past the blade coated with red and flakes of skin up to the horrific mask.

Cruella screamed, loud and desperately. Voice echoing out and reverberating off anything it hit but with the storm no one had a hope of hearing it. With the rain her cry for help would have been lost as just another odd sound amidst the tempest. The red, white and blue clown mask tilted and she knew the man who wore it grinned despite his face being hidden. Eyes like pinpricks peeked out, dead, cold eyes that looked at her with something she couldn't quite bring herself to describe. The next thing she knew air was forced from her lungs and her heart leapt into her mouth as a strong hand forced her under the water. Nottingham thrived on this, death, holding her hair under the pool water until her body stopped fighting; it would be euphoric! Until the darkness closed in around her eyes and her heart frantically raced, until Cruella's hair was pulled from her head due to his grip... and then it all went still and started to float. He watched a moment as rain flooded down his back at the way his hand tangled in her soaked hair. Odd that someone who had not a full minute ago been so alive, had fought and kicked and done all they could to save themselves now simply floated so limply, no longer someone but some _thing_. He'd turned Cruella, The House of Scarlet's veteran, into nothing more than a hunk of driftwood. Nottingham hadn't intended for Cruella to escape the sauna, she'd have been neatly tucked away if she had, but somehow he thought he liked this more.

_**Nature's first green is gold,  
Her hardest hue to hold.  
Her early leaf's a flower;  
But only so an hour.  
Then leaf subsides to leaf.  
So Eden sank to grief,  
So dawn goes down to day.  
Nothing gold can stay.** _

_**Nothing Gold Can Stay by Robert Frost** _

_~X~_

"What was that?!" Belle questioned as she threw on her clothes and left the room. "That wasn't the rain, I know it wasn't."

Belle had always had good hearing and what with sleeping with the boss she'd made sure to always be aware of where the other girls were. While she couldn't be certain she was sure she'd heard someone scream as they'd run through the house. Belle had grown used to hearing screams from the other House Girls but this wasn't one of pleasure, this one had been scared. She left Gold and headed down the hall took a right then stopped at the large window between the bathroom and the back staircase to peer downwards at the pool.

"Oh my god!" A hand clasped firmly over her mouth as she stepped back a little in horror.

"Belle, what's wrong?" Gold's brow furrowed but when his beloved didn't answer but still he continued to follow her as fast as his ankle would let him to get to her side dressed in nothing but his open pants; belt hanging loose. "Belle?"

When he once again received no answer Elias' eyes left Belle's horrified blue ones and glanced out the window down at the pool through the storm and he went deathly silent.

The pool was lit up, the only light in the dark, heavy night but that wasn't what Belle or Gold noticed. A man dressed in a navy workman's suit and a terrifying fifty's style, rubber clown mask stood tall watching Cruella as she floated naked in the water, her body utterly still. Belle wanted to throw up but couldn't move, not even to shiver in horror. Rain continued to splatter against the glass as some sick background music to whatever evil had entered their home.

Gold seemed to regain his thoughts first and pulled Belle away form the window by the shoulders and took her back to her room so she could sit on her bed before her legs gave out. In an instant he flicked the lights off and pulled to plunge them into darkness and open her turquoise laptop, every single one of his cameras showed nothing but static. Elias had a team to keep malfunctions like this from happening but after what he'd just witnessed he doubted this was anything as innocent as a malfunction.

"Shit!" He growled and reached for his cell phone. "No fucking service, are you kidding me?!"

 _We're being jammed aren't we?_ He asked himself though logically knew it could have also been the storm, the nearest cell tower had been up on a hill not too far away and the last storm they'd had came with high winds which had damaged the antenna; the fucking thing still hadn't been fixed. Honestly it could have been either and neither were preferable.

Belle copied him and tried to call out – probably so she had something to do in order to take her mind off of the dead woman floating in the pool – but there was no service, nothing. They couldn't call the police, couldn't call Jefferson or Victor, they were alone.

"What are we going to do, Elias?" Her voice trembled as she tried not to cry.

"We're going to stay calm and run to my panic room." He answered quickly without looking at her.

" _Panic room?_ _"_ _Belle's eyebrows shot up._

"Yes." He answered as though it was perfectly normal and finally turned to look at his beloved Belle.

A panic room, of course he had a fucking panic room, he had secrets to store after all. Belle's mind didn't function as the man she loved grabbed her hand and pulled her along behind him down the hall into the private wing as quickly but as quietly as possible, then into his bedroom. She stood with her cerulean orbs locked on the bedroom door like it would suddenly swing open and that masked monster would come for them any second while Gold yanked his closet door open and shoved his clothes aside. Next thing Belle knew she'd been shoved inside a thin but surprisingly long room. Her legs couldn't hold her and she fell to the cold black floor as white light suddenly beamed down from the ceiling, thoughts raced through her head but she had no idea what they were; Cruella was dead. Was everyone else dead too?

The room had somehow been hidden but Belle didn't have the brain power to figure out how exactly, every inch of The House Of Scarlet's space had been maximized what with so many people living there but Gold could always keep something hidden if he wanted to.

"Belle?" The auburn-haired beauty didn't respond. "Belle? _Belle!_ "

Her head finally snapped up to face the man she loved, he looked just as terrified as she did and Belle couldn't help but be proud of him. _Fear is the precursor to bravery._ _He grabbed a shirt from his closet then pulled the panic door closed and crouched down as best he was able beside her as he put the red fabric on._

"Belle I know you're scared, but … I'll keep you safe, I promise."

He spoke more to convince himself than her; refused to let his cowardice inner voice take over. Azure eyes watched as he reached up and pulled two black walkie talkies from a charging station of five; Elias had built the panic room for emergencies and this certainly qualified. In all honesty he'd never expected to use it. He wanted to stay in there and hide until the mad man left or someone came to save them but he couldn't, Elias had promised to protect these girls and he'd already failed Cruella. He needed to be brave, for Belle and the girls if nothing else.

"I have to go and get Ashley." He grabbed his gun – a Beretta – from beside the charging station. "The others too. This is my fucking house and I promised to keep those girls safe."

Elias pushed a walkie into her shaking hands and then he was gone; Belle clawed at the air where he'd been stood but it was no good... he was gone. Had she not been in so much shock she'd have been proud of her sweet Elias. Zelena, Tamara and Cruella had called him a coward, they didn't have the same relationship with him that the other girls did, but Belle knew the truth, Elias Gold could be brave when he needed to be.


	14. Chapter 14

Belle sat there on the cold floor alone in the panic room a few moments. She took deep, calming breaths as her heart thundered in her chest like a scattering cat but Belle was determined to get a hold of herself. She was better than this, and thankfully her body responded by slowing her breathing and managed to put a stop to her shaking. The auburn-haired beauty shut her azure eyes and thought for a couple of seconds, Elias had gone for Ashley but what had happened to Ruby, Tink and the rest of her friends? Hell, even Zelena and Tamara. They could have been hurt, or worse. Maybe Elias wouldn't be able to find them in time, no, Belle couldn't just sit there and hope for the best, she had to get her friends.

After she'd pushed herself up Belle calmed her nerves and wiped away the stray tears that had gathered on her porcelain cheeks before she headed out into the eerily silent halls. A voice screamed at her to stay in the safe room where she was safe but she couldn't just sit there and wait for Gold to return, what if he didn't?

~X~

Gold took each step slowly so as to avoid any floorboard that may give him away and gripped his gun, a Beretta, tightly in his right hand. His breathing was silent and his chocolate orbs darted along the long main hallway search of the intruder. Elias had been assured that The House Of Scarlet was impenetrable, couldn't be hacked, couldn't be found and yet everything had gone Titanic. The older man had promised to protect his girls and now he didn't know if any of them were still alive, the memory of Cruella, Victoria as her parents named her, floating dead in his pool, he could only imagine the horrors his other girls suffered.

He peered into the room his doctor and house manager shared pleased when he found it in darkness and empty, the boys were out for the night; probably the best plan they'd ever had. Elias was about to push Mulan's door open when the sound of footsteps on the back staircase had him hurrying down the tall and around the corner to stand between the edge of the room and Tamara's door. He wanted to have stayed in the panic room with Belle, wanted to hide and let his cowardice win. It took Elias a moment but he managed to get up the courage to peer around the edge of the wall, if he was spotted he'd have no choice but to charge down the main stairs and hope he could loop around to his bedroom faster than whoever had broken into his home. His breath came in pants as he ever so carefully looked back down the main hallway. No one. Not a soul stood in the hall and Gold didn't quite know what to make of that, he'd heard footsteps, he knew he it. Had whoever this man mad was crept down towards Ruby's and Ashley's bedrooms or had he gone towards the wing he shared with Victor and Jefferson? Gold didn't know, but if it was the latter Belle would be safe inside the panic room.

The business owner let his head fall back against the wall as he forced himself to stay calm, forced him to get a hold of himself. He needed to find the girls, Cruella was dead, there wasn't any point looking for her inside her room so instead he quietly rested his hand on the handle to Tamara's room attached to which was a silver, glittery T. Hoping there was only one mad man on the loose he stepped inside the dark room only to be assaulted by the stench of iron. The little voice at the back of his mind had already figured out what that smell was and where it came from but it wasn't until he pushed the door open fully to let in a stream of light that his eyes landed on Tamara's body and he finally had to accept it. Tamara was gone as well; horrifically. Gold's body wretched when he saw her, clumps of Tamara's ebony hair surrounded her lifeless corpse as it lay in a pool of slowly drying crimson. She had deep cuts all along her face and arms but it was her open eyes – open _lifeless_ eyes – still so full of fear that forced him to look away.

Tamara had always been somewhat of an opinionated bitch but she'd not deserved this, to be disfigured and murdered. Bile rose up in his throat, _please God don't let the others be like this._ He'd come to care for all of his House Girls, especially Ashley and his sweet Belle, he needed them to live.

Every single fibre of his being screamed at him to run to the panic room and hide, stay where it was safe but something else burned within Elias Gold's heart which banished the fear; Elias didn't know what caused it or what its name was but he used the strength it provided and went to look for the others.

The Scotsman was about to head for Zelena's room and work his way back along the halls and hopefully to Ashley's room when a faint groaning caught his attention. The sound came from the bottom of the stairs and Gold knew he had no choice but to look over the edge down at the living room cautiously. He'd seen what had been done to both Cruella and Tamara so he didn't expect what he found to be good.

"Oh Christ!" He slapped a hand over his mouth praying no one had heard him as dark eyes took in the sight of Tinker Bell face down on the hardwood floor below.

Her legs were kicked out in directions they shouldn't have bent in and while Gold was fairly sure she was awake he looked completely disoriented and in agony. In a sort of silent charge he rushed down the main staircase and crouched by her side as best he could, he set his gun down by his foot and brushed the mess of blond locks, which had been thrown loose from her bun, so he could see her face. Her clothes were ripped though if that had been when she'd been thrown or when she'd been grabbed Gold didn't know.

"Tink?" No response. "Tink?" Still nothing from the injured woman. "Rose?!"

Finally pained eyes managed to flutter open at the sound of her real name and terror quickly faded when she realized who was beside her. Now alert she registered the excruciating pain which sparked through her legs and lower back; later she'd think about how that was actually a very good thing.

"Eli- ahhh!" She hissed as she tried to push herself up.

"Shush, I need you to be quiet, okay?"

Tink nodded as best she was able and Gold reached down to grab the fabric of her skirt fearing what he'd find when he pulled it upwards to reveal her lower thighs and the backs of her knees. He gulped seeing the thick blood which coated her legs and that feeling of nausea hit him again. The left leg had already bruised from kneecap to ankle and coated in a sheen of blood where the skin of her thigh had ruptured open. The other leg, however, the closest one, was just horrific. The tibia had clearly broken on impact at her shin and pressed angrily against the skin which had been sent a combination of deep purple and terrifying red. Whoever had broken into his home was picking off his girls one by one, the women he was supposed to care for. Tamara and Cruella were already dead along with who knew how many else and if he didn't get Tink to a doctor _very_ soon she likely would be as well.

"It hurts." Was all the blond managed to say in a broken voice and Gold could even imagine how much pain she was in. He walked with a cane and yet couldn't imagine the agony. "Please."

Did she even know what she pleaded for?

"I know, Tink." He nodded to himself as he thought about what was best to do. He had no idea how much damage had been done to her legs and her spine but if he left her there that mad man would likely find her and finish her off. "I have to pick you up, okay? We've not got any other choice."

He was fully aware that picking her up and carrying her could have paralyzed her from the waist down but if he didn't … he didn't want to think about it. The blond understood, knew what he meant but this was her only chance of survival surely. Carrying her wouldn't be easy what with his ankle but he could do it, he _would_ do it.

"Do it." She agreed.

Dark eyes flashed around to make sure they weren't being watched and then he scooted closer only to ground to a halt and grab his gun when he heard movement. He couldn't see anything or anyone but he knew they were there, behind the armchair between his living room and dining room.

**A voice said, Look me in the stars  
And tell me truly, men of earth,  
If all the soul-and-body scars  
Were not too much to pay for birth.**

_**A Question by Robert Frost** _

~X~

Belle moved much like Gold had down the halls, slow so as not to make a sound, her hands shook at her side but Belle wouldn't turn back. Everything had been so perfect only a few hours ago and now she was in a horror movie that was all too real. In the long hallway before the back staircase there was nothing but the linen closet, the camera-less bathroom, access to the house manager's office and the bedroom he shared with his husband. All doors were closed and silent so she forced herself ahead. All that courage she'd built up though died a second later when she heard the back stairs creak, did she have time to make it back to Gold's bedroom before whoever this murderer was found her?

"Belle!" Came a whispered scream from the linen closet beside her. "Belle quick!"

Belle spun around to the linen closet where the feminine voice had come from and didn't question as the door opened just enough for Belle to slip inside before the door closed once more. Crammed into the tiny space she found herself face to face with Ariel and the two quickly grabbed hold of one another's hands for comfort.

"Ariel-"

The redhead gestured frantically with her free hand for Belle to shut up and that was exactly what Belle did when they heard whoever it was reach the top of the stairs. They could just about see half of the hall in front of them, mostly the floor, through the white slats of the linen closet door. Ariel clamped her free hand over her mouth to stay as quiet as her shaking body could when heavy – and very dirty – boots came into view. The House Girls knew every single man who went in and out of that house, they knew the smart dress shoes their employer, Jefferson and Victor wore, knew the boots of their security guards and would have even recognized Leroy; these weren't the shoes of any of them.

Both girls shook violently and tears rolled down over Ariel's hand. It hurt being curled up in such a small space but neither girl could bring themselves to care, especially when a long blade came into view dripping with the blood of their friends and long dark hairs. They could hear his heavy breaths and saw a glow coming from his blade-less hand as though he were holding a phone. It was then that Belle understood, _he can see the cameras! That's how none of us knew he was here._ Neither of them dared move a muscle because it would mean certain death but on the inside they were shaking violently and screaming for help.

If Graham, Robin and Will hadn't called the police by now or come to save them it meant they were dead, how many of her friends were dead as well? Ashley was only nineteen, she was too young for this, all of them were.

Just when the girls thought he'd heard them the man in the clown mask stormed off back down the stairs with some speed in search of someone to kill and Belle thought she should have felt guilty for being thankful.

Ariel and the auburn-haired beauty stood there for what felt like forever but could have only been a minute praying it wasn't a trick and he had actually gone before Belle dared to push open the door and stick her head out. The hallway was void of anyone but themselves which made them breathe a sigh of relief.

"Come on." She whispered and tugged Ariel out after her. "How long have you been in there?"

"I- I- I don't know." Ariel stuttered, her red hair was a mess and her face pale. "I thought... Mulan and Aurora were being loud like always but-" She cut herself off.

"What?"

"Tinker Bell got to Mulan's room first, she came running out with that guy following her - he's got a- a clown mask on. I just ran, I don't think he saw me."

Belle pulled Ariel into her arms and held her tight for a moment trying to be of some comfort, Ariel appreciated the gesture but it did nothing to calm her nerves.

Belle took a deep breath. "Did you see Mulan or Princess?" She managed to ask.

"No, you're the only one I've seen other than _him_. Someone else went passed but I couldn't see who."

Belle nodded to herself for a second then took Ariel's hand in her own to pull her quickly towards Mulan's room. Each step was pure horror as they feared Clown Mask would suddenly appear and have them cornered but eventually they reached the door marked with an orange 'M'. Hesitantly a shaky pale hand reached out for the door handle and pushed the door open; Belle forced herself not to scream at the sight. Mulan and Aurora were cuffed to one bedpost covered over with a sea of blood. Ariel gasped, covering her mouth with both hands just in time to silence her panic, Belle rushed to her friends and met Aurora's scared orbs as she ripped away the fabric keeping her quiet. Aurora had one wrist cuffed to the bed and the other holding the stab wound to her abdomen; hand painted red.

"Help Jamie?" She pleaded as soon as the t-shirt gag had been removed and Belle's head swung around to Mulan who lay unconscious on the floor beside her while Ariel kept watch at the door. "Please?"

Pressing her ear to Mulan's chest Belle found her still breathing and thanked anyone who'd listen before pulling the fabric from Mulan's mouth and grabbed one of the stray tank tops that lay on her bed. Belle wrapped the green fabric around her friend's wrist as tightly as she could in a desperate attempted to stop the bleeding, it worked, just. Belle's knees were covered in a mix of Mulan's and Aurora's blood and it was sickening but Belle tried not to think of it, they could scream later when they were safe, _that's if you live_ her mind said unhelpfully. Belle slapped at Mulan's cheek just hard enough to rouse her and on the fourth hit her hazel eyes opened groggy and drained.

"That's it, stay awake Mulan. We need you awake." She tried to smile when Mulan's eyes fluttered but it wasn't very convincing.

The world seemed to drift back to the bleeding woman but she was too weak to speak or really move, a groan did escape her lips though.

"Ariel?" The redhead swung around to face Belle. "Do you have a bobby pin or something?"

Ariel shook her head then went back to watching the empty hall after muttering a _no sorry._

"I do." Aurora managed to say while pointing to just behind her ear with a chained hand. "There."

Belle carefully but with hast pulled the pin loose and bent it open to start picking at Aurora' cuff, she could see the questioning look on Mulan's face amongst the pain; Belle knew she wanted to ask how Belle learnt to pick handcuffs with a bobby pin. That was a story for another day though, not a very long story, it was the only useful thing Gaston her time with Gaston had ever produced. The silver metal opened and Aurora managed to sit herself up and tug another piece of fabric towards her, this time a white long-sleeved v-neck, from the bed and press it to her wound; it didn't stay white for long.

Belle quickly got the other girl free and tried to help her up but their dark-haired friend was just too weak.

"Ariel, help me." Belle insisted.

The redhead looked around the hall once more before racing over to help Belle lift Mulan, somehow Aurora got to her feet and hobbled ahead of the two uninjured girls and the woman she loved.

"Go to Gold's room." Belle said quietly and the girls obeyed.


	15. Chapter 15

His gun had been quickly aimed out at the leather armchair between the dining room and living room ready to shoot whoever was hiding behind, Elias may have wanted to run away but he'd damn well empty his gun before he went down. He paused when he saw a pale hand sticking out on one side delicate and wearing a thing gold chain bracelet; he knew that bracelet very well, _very well,_ because he'd bought it. Panic drained away from his face and his heart rate slowed.

"Ashley?" He called out quietly. "Ashley, it's all right. It's me, it's Gold."

The blond poked her head out carefully as though the intruder was some kind of mimic faking Elias' voice but grinned wide with relief as soon as she saw it was indeed him. Ashley had seen Tinker Bell go over the railing and had tried to help but when she'd heard the footsteps at the stairs she'd panicked which had caused her to hide behind the chair thinking Clown Mask would come and finish the job, no, it was Gold.

The elder man gestured for her to join him and Ashley did so quickly, she saw this man as a father figure and trusted him completely. She'd got no idea why this horror was happening but the girl knew she'd be safest with him.

"Gold." She gripped him tight in a hug that knocked all the air from his lungs but it broke apart suddenly when Tink let out another painful groan.

"Ashley, I have to carry Tink. Can you hold this for me? The safety is off so just point and shoot."

Elias offered the blond his Beretta and was pleased when she hesitantly took the weapon, she knew he couldn't do both and there was no way she could carry Tink to the panic room; yes, Ashley knew about that.

Mister Gold lifted Tink carefully into his arms and winced when she cried out in agony, her legs hung limply over his arm. Both were broken and he suspected there were several fractures to her pelvis, he refused to let himself wonder if she'd ever walk again and focused on carrying her to his room. Ashley followed behind him with her neck sunk into her shoulders in an attempt to be as small as possible like she could just vanish into some kind of void.

"Ashley watch behind us but hold onto my shirt." He tried so hard to sound brave and calm, _so_ hard.

She nodded and grabbed onto his rumpled shirt before turning her head to watch the hallway behind her after they'd climbed the stairs. She gripped him tightly, her nails biting accidentally at his back but Elias didn't really register it due to the amount of adrenaline surging around his body like a bullet train. The House Of Scarlet stretched on in front of them as though it were the Minotaur's labyrinth, the walls even seemed to grow cold and dank around them, as they slowly moved towards Gold's room. There were so many doors and access to other areas of the house in the main hallway, that was what he'd wanted when he'd built the place but now that mad man could pop up from literally anywhere.

Elias ground to a halt forcing Ashley to practically bounce off of him when they heard a loud smash come from the floor below and knew they had to hurry. Elias didn't want to move to quickly with a half conscious Tink in his arms but he didn't have much of a choice.

They reached the panic room after what felt like forever and Gold had Ashley shut the closet door behind them so he could quickly open the door where he found but Mulan, Aurora and Ariel on the cold metal floor with drops of blood scattered everywhere, like a bad horror movie; Gold nearly laughed when he remembered he they were all in one. Brown eyes searched the hidden room in search of his sweet Belle but she wasn't anywhere to be seen.

Ever so carefully he set Tink down softly and shut the door before speaking, voice flooded with concern. "How did you get in here? Where's Belle? What happened?"

"Calm down." Said Ariel in an equally panicked tone, it was almost as though she were asking herself as well as him. "Belle found us. Aurora got stabbed and Mulan is bleeding real bad."

Gold dropped to his knees ignoring the way his ankle screamed violently at him and took Mulan's rag covered arm into his hands, the tank top was doing little to keep pressure on the wound and so Elias pulled it free.

"Ashley pass me the first aid kit out that drawer." He pointed but didn't look up.

Ashley set the gun down on the metal surface under the camera monitors before doing as he asked, passing it to him quickly. The room wasn't very large but Gold had managed to pack everything he and his girls could possibly need into the small space. The room had been designed to be able to fit all thirteen of them if needed.

A first aid kit wasn't going to cut it but it was the best they had; _where is Victor when you need him?!_ _Elias_ took one of the large sterile pads and ripped the packet open which he pressed quickly against the slowly leaking wound, he had Ashley hold it down while he wrapped bandages around her wrist as tightly as he could, it wasn't the best but it would do for a while. If Mulan and Tink didn't get to a hospital soon they'd not live much longer of that he was certain. When Mulan's dark eyes started to slip shut Gold slapped at her cheek somewhat more harshly than he'd wanted but he couldn't let her fall asleep.

"Ariel, don't let Mulan sleep." He ordered.

Though she was awake and knew what was going on Gold found himself worried about Aurora once he'd done his best for Mulan, she'd been stabbed in the abdomen and god only knew how much damaged had been done to her organs, Ashley pressed hard against the red wound praying her friend would be all right.

"Where's Belle?" Elias asked again.

"Belle went to find Ruby, Zelena and Tamara. She said- said Cruella is gone." Mumbled Aurora with a heavy heart as sparks of pain surged through her body.

"And you let her?!"

"We didn't have much choice." Argued Ariel.

"Ashley stay here and help Ariel, keep an eye on Tink. _Don't_ let _any_ of them fall asleep." The blond nodded assuredly, she could do this. "I have to find Belle and the others. I have a contract to keep them safe and Elias Gold doesn't break deals."

Thankfully he got a few smiles from his quip, just a tiny boost to morale. He grabbed his weapon and looked pointedly at the cameras to make sure no one was outside or in the halls then he went off to find the woman he loved; Belle made him brave.

~X~

Rain splattered down harshly on Victor and Jefferson but neither would let it ruin their evening, it was just a little water after all. The two men were giggling away to some stupid joke Jefferson had made as Victor unlocked the garage door and pushed it open to finally step into the house. It had been odd for them not to see Robin, Graham or Will but in this storm they were probably camped out in the security rec room playing cards and just monitoring the cameras from there instead.

The blond doctor stepped aside for his husband to go first and then sighed, grumbled really. "I didn't lock the car did I?"

"Knowing you, probably not." Jefferson laughed at his lover and gave him a quick kiss. "Go check or you'll be wondering all bloody night and I have plans that can't be interrupted."

"Oh do you." Victor grinned as he pulled the dark-haired, slightly shorter, man to him by his hips.

They locked into a deep kiss that only ended when the need for air became too strong. The pair had been married for years but to anyone who saw them they still looked like newly weds; probably always would.

"Go on already."

The doctor obeyed his insistent lover and quickly jogged back towards his car. Victor hated the rain, it was wet and caused every bit of fabric he wore to stick to him, so he thanked Gold for the multi car garage. His hair had already plastered itself to his pale forehead guiding cold rain water into his ocean like eyes just from the walk from the restaurant to the car. Thunder was loud and only a second or two behind sharp flashes of light meaning the storm would be overhead in the next few moments, it was truly horrid outside. After checking that the silver car was indeed locked Victor peeked out of one of the garage windows to the dark storm outside, while it looked nasty from inside the house the doctor thought the house probably seemed rather beautiful from outside. The house all lit up in the darkness almost like a ship on the black sea, he may have hated rain but he rather liked the way The House Of Scarlet glowed at night. Walking back to the door he expected to see Jefferson waiting for him but his lover had gone, _probably naked on our bed by now_ he smiled.

Suddenly there was a flash of lightning which lit up the practically pitch black hallway and Victor's heart fell, Jefferson had collapsed to the floor just inside the house with his hands clutched to his throat. The blond thought nothing, said nothing, he just raced to Jefferson's sides in horror.

His throat had been slit, a deep slash, and everything in Victor wanted to scream as he pushed Jefferson hands away to replace them with his own. The stench of blood assaulted his nostrils, that horrid iron stench, but he couldn't let himself focus on that, couldn't panic, he needed to save his husband. Somehow the blond managed to gather his lover into his strong, blood covered arms while holding pressure to his throat and charged the few steps to his office, he didn't even bother to shut the garage door letting the sound of heavy rain slapping on the roof echo down the halls in the darkness; Victor didn't care.

There was so much blood coating everything as the doctor slumped Jefferson down onto his examination table desperately praying he could save the dark-haired man. Victor didn't know what had happened, who had done this, and slammed the exam room door shut locking it quickly leaving the handle bloody.

"Jeff, baby, stay with me!" The blond pleaded.

Doctor Whale surged into action pulling away the damn cravat his husband adored, or at least what was left of it, from Jefferson's throat to gain a better look, the House Manager stared desperately at his lover shaking in pain he tried to stay still; tears sparkled fearfully in his beautiful eyes. Victor thanked every deity there was when he saw whoever had done this didn't know what they were doing, the blade hadn't gone deep enough to cut through Jefferson's trachea and too far to over to have damaged the carotid artery so oxygen was still getting to his brain, if they'd been damaged Jefferson would have lost consciousness already but cerulean blue eyes proved that wasn't so. The muscle and skin was shredded though, Victor did all he could to help his husband, shoved his sleeves up without bothering to unbutton his crimson stained cuffs and grabbed sutures and bandages.

"I need more light!" He hissed to himself.

~X~

Belle carefully descended the back stairs reusing to let her legs shake, Cruella was gone she knew that and with the state Zelena had been in she guessed the redhead had died too. She hoped that Elias had managed to find Ashley and the others by now but what about the guards? Belle prayed they were alive, maybe unconscious and tied up somewhere. She paused when she noticed the garage door door wide open letting the rain and thunder bounce around, she took a few steps forwards only to clap her hand over her mouth to stifle a sharp scream when looked down to see a pool of crimson blood splattered at the edges. _Whose blood is this?!_ Her bare feet squelched in the ooze sickeningly, a trail led across into Victor's office and when she poked her head in the trail of drips and splats continued into the exam room.

Suddenly there was a rumble of thunder and a crash of lightning which lit up the hallway eerily as the light bounced off the dark hallway walls. Desperate for some quiet she closed the garage door only to wonder if that had been a terrible choice, she stood quietly a moment listening, she could hear something but it was muffled and sounded metallic; Belle didn't want to go near that sound. Bolstering her courage Belle wiped her feet of blood as best she could on a clean section of the floor then headed around the corner to the security rec room as lightning continued to flash threateningly.

When she reached the door the terrified young woman found it ajar, so when no obvious movement came she pushed it open further; empty. The cameras still ran showing the house's exterior on all sides but no one was there to man them. On a small table pushed up against the wall to her left Belle spotted a cup of coffee which she pressed two fingers against; stone cold, none of the guards had been there in a while.

She turned back to the hall and glanced out the massive window to the pool where Cruella still floated, her body blown back and forth by harsh wind. Who knew if Mulan and Aurora would live, she couldn't just leave Will, Robin and Graham to the same fate if by some miracle they still clung to life.

The security hut wasn't far only from the side door, just a straight shot down the side of the house and a little to the right. Twenty yards or so, thirty at the most, and almost as soon as Belle had made the decision she found herself crashed against green painted, wooden door of the hut. Wind sent her hair everywhere, bare feet sopping wet but fortunately now clear of whoever's blood she'd stood in. Desperate to find someone alive and get out of the rain she pushed it open but something lay behind the door fighting her. The auburn-haired beauty pushed with all the might her little body could muster.

"Graham?" She called out over the thunder. "Robin? Will? Are you in there?"

She took a deep breath before slamming against the heavy door with her shoulder so hard that it would bruise, Belle wouldn't stop though even with the rain flattening her auburn curls to her forehead, mascara slipped down her cheeks softly but Belle paid no attention to that instead focused on getting into the security hut; the phone in the house was dead and the one in Graham's security hut was the only hope left. Wasn't like she could leave the property, she'd be dead due to the storm before she even reached the next house.

Finally, _finally_ , the blockage gave way and Belle almost fell through into the hut. She screamed, loud and grainy but nothing was heard over the rain. Now she was inside even through the blackness blue eyes could see what had been blocking the door … Will's lifeless body. Belle fell to her bloody knees with tears welling in her cerulean orbs, the youngest House Of Scarlet guard lay dead on the dark wood. His deep hazel eyes had glazed over long ago and remained bloodshot from the mace Nottingham had sprayed him with, Will's neck jutted out at a strange angle and the auburn-haired beauty could only imagine the horror Will had felt in his final moments. Ever so gently she raked her hand softly over his eyes, they were stiff where rigor had started to set in but thankfully Will's dead eyes stayed shut giving the illusion of some peace.

She sat there a moment as she forced her breathing to calm down, she'd seen _far too many_ of her friends either seriously injured or brutally murdered for one lifetime. Will hadn't deserved this, hadn't deserved someone to snap his neck and tuck him away like a dirty little secret. Will had been Belle's age, he should have had years to live … not this.

Belle blinked rapidly as she forced tears away, quick blinks which marched away her blurry vision only for the cerulean orbs to lock onto the phone rested on the desk beside the security monitor which displayed the driveway. The phone was heavy in her hands but Belle cared not, raised it to her ear and her heart dropped, there was no dial tone, nothing. Belle refused to cry, not again, she wasn't even sure there were any tears left to roll down her cheeks. They were alone, cut off in the dark with nothing but fear, Mulan and Aurora needed a doctor sooner rather than otherwise … Belle didn't want to think about otherwise.

She didn't put the phone down, it was useless so she just dropped it letting the black plastic smash back onto the desk. The thunderstorm raged on around her with a thick wind coming in from the west forcing the green, wooden security hut to creak and warp, each boom of thunder was a violent scream from the heavens and angrier than the last. Seeing Will though Belle fell deaf to the evil surging around her. The young guard had been propped up against the wall where his lifeless body would have gone unnoticed but he'd slipped down to block the door, if Clown Mask had done this to sweet Will what had become of Graham and Robin?


	16. Chapter 16

Graham's eyes fluttered opened when there was a particularly loud scream of thunder and for a moment he had no idea what was happening or where he was, his head hurt, his eyes ached and there was water in face. It took the guard a moment but his eyes flew wide open when he realized he was hanging upside down tied to a heavy mass above the river a short distance behind The House Of Scarlet. His skin had turned to ice thanks to the harsh rain, it dripped up his body and collected on the tip his nose before falling into the river only a foot or so beneath his head. Upside down, he was hanging upside down.

Everything was black and blurred in the inky night, he couldn't move and Graham's whole body cried out in pain; something – or more likely some _one_ – had struck him from behind. He forced the pain down and Graham hissed when he remembered the burning he'd felt in his back, a taser, _but that means..._ his mind filled with panic, not for the rising river and his own life but for the girls and Gold.

"Help!" He screamed out into the darkness but no one could hear him over the thunderstorm. "Help!" Graham called again.

The Irishman wriggled in the mass of ropes trying to get free but it was no use, the bonds were much too tight and all his blood had rushed to his head leaving him weak and light-headed. The heavy mass tied to his back groaned suddenly roused by Graham's urgent movements and he recognised it as Robin, his friend and fellow guard, the same thing must have happened to him. At least he was alive … for now.

"Robin?" There was no response and truth be told Graham had no way of knowing how badly injured his friend had been, all he could do was shout his name. "Robin wake up! Robin!"

As the storm grew the river they'd been suspended above began to rise towards them like a tease, if someone didn't find them soon they'd freeze to death before drowning. This was _not_ how Graham would go out!

"Robin!" He tried again but his friend didn't wake, his only response was another groan.

Graham looked up towards the house as best he could, craned his neck as best he could in his bonds to peer through the dark. Past the trees he could just about see the pool glowing with supernatural light. Just as the Irishman was about to call out for help once more the patio doors roughly 100 yards away - without black rain clouds and harsh winds they'd have been easily heard – opened wide letting one of the girls run naked into the pool; Cruella judging by the hair, only Cruella had hair like that. She dove into the pool and stayed under for a short time as though she'd been boiling. Cruella naked in a pool wasn't what worried him though, he'd seen that before after all, it was the man who followed. Graham could only watch as a tall man in some kind of navy maintenance suit and a god awful mask calmly walked to the edge of the pool.

Graham tried screaming again and thrashed in his bonds but he went unheard yet again, he fought against the rope as he desperately tried to get free and help Cruella but he was just too weak, hands were numb and his voice croaked, blood raged around his body vibrating in his ears. _Bu-bum! Bu-bum! Bu-bum!_ Louder and louder. Deep down Graham knew there was nothing he could do to help Cruella as Clown Mask forced her head under the water like his own would soon be, none of that stopped Graham thrashing and struggling against the hard rope that held him in place.

"Help!" Graham screamed once more, louder this time but only a little, and the attacker looked over while standing.

Graham fell silence, he couldn't see the man's face beneath his mask but he still knew the man was grinning at the death he'd just caused, the Irishman could just see Cruella's lifeless body as it floated along the choppy pool. Clown Mask gazed over at Graham and a still unconscious Robin through the trees then, calmly, turned back towards the house and walked inside like he hadn't just murdered an innocent woman.

The brunette didn't know if it was the waterfall of rain or tears which poured up to his forehead any longer and he didn't have the strength to care, he jostled again in an attempt to wake Robin fully but the other guard showed no sign of waking. Graham was alone in this.

Suddenly something caught his hazel eyes, movement in one of the upper windows, the one by the back stairs, it took him a second until Graham realized it looked suspiciously Belle shaped. Belle wasn't meant to be in the house but if she and Elias had come home then the others may have stood a chance, Gold could get to his panic room where they would all be safe. All Graham had in that moment was prayer.

That had been an hour ago and Graham kept drifting in and out of consciousness as blood began to swell in his brain, his vision had blurred so much that he felt as though he were looking through dirty water. Just as Graham felt himself drifting into sleep once more Robin let out a deep, guttural moan.

"Graham?"

"Robin? You awake?" That was probably a stupid question, of course Robin was awake.

In all honesty Graham was just thankful he could still speak what with his throat raw from calling out through the rain.

"What happened?" Robin managed to ask over the storm.

"I don't know. There's someone in the house, they killed Cruella!"

Robin's head fell to see the river that was now only a few inches below them, it was only then that the other guard realized just how much danger they were all in. When Graham had awoken the river had been significantly lower but now as Robin gazed at the surging water it was only a few inches from them, Nottingham had expected the water to rise faster and it would have had the river not burst its bank, the water could rise no higher and they were safe from drowning. However, Graham knew if they remained upside down they'd form blood clots; that was the least of their concerns though what with hypothermia becoming a very real possibility and a mad man in a fifties style clown mask.

"How do we get out of this, Humbert?" Robin demanded, he refused to be scared.

"Can you get your knots loose?"

"No, I don't think so." Robin responded as he attempted to struggle.

"Well try!" Graham growled without meaning to, his accent had grown thick. "If Will isn't tied up with us then he's dead, Cruella is dead. Everyone else could be dead!"

"Okay! Calm down, we have to work together because I'm getting really dizzy."

Robin was right, they had to rely on each other to get free. Graham twisted at the ropes keeping his hands behind his back while Robin did the same, together they may just stand a chance.

~X~

"Come on Baby, you're going to be fine."

Victor hadn't ever felt so scared in all his life and everything word which hastily tumbled from his lips was more to comfort himself than Jefferson. The wound wasn't overly deep and hadn't cut through anything life threatening but the muscle was still shredded and if it remained untreated for too long he'd bleed to death.

"Vic-" Jefferson tried to speak but pain cut him off.

"No, don't talk Jefferson. Look at me but don't speak."

The blonde doctor worked desperately with shaking hands to stitch together the horribly damaged flesh and tissue of the man he loved with hardly anything to aid him. His days as a surgeon had stuck with him, he knew what to do but this wasn't some patient, this was his husband. Bile rose up in his throat at the sight of Jefferson's blood staining his hands but Doctor Whale forced it back down, he wouldn't let panic preventing from helping the dark-haired man. Crimson oozed down Jefferson's neck staining his shirt, chest and everything else in sight but it was no longer the fountain it had been before Victor raced into action.

"I lo-" Jefferson winced as tears started to burst forth a new. "love you."

Victor's blue orbs locked with those of the man he loved.

"I love you too."

Suddenly the house echoed violently and for a second Victor thought it was another boom of thunder but no, it was a gun shot.

_Are there any of us left?_


	17. Chapter 17

Belle hastily made her way back inside the house the way she'd come and paused at the spot where the hallway shared a wall with the locker room, though dark she could see plainly that no one was in the vicinity; Belle breathed a sigh of relief. She felt her feet in that blood again, and blue eyes flicked down to see it had just seemed further into the flooring. Looking closer she found that blood had been spattered up the bottom of the wall by the door to Victor's office. Belle couldn't stay there, she needed to move, needed to get away from it.

Quickly she hurried away around the corner towards the base of the back stairs; each step quieter than the last. She smelt dried irony blood only a split second before Clown Mask pinned her to the wall with such force that the back of her head bled where it struck the wall. Rain continued outside the windows, it sounded loud that it should have though, like the sunroom doors and the kitchen door were all left open. Maybe the doors were open, didn't really matter. Lightning flashed which sadistically illuminated the horrid red, blue and bone white mask.

Everything happened so fast and yet to Belle each second passed as though it were an hour, ticking on into eternity as if she suddenly lived between the seconds. A harsh scream died in her throat when she caught sight of his yellowed eyes through the pinprick holes of his mask, he had Belle pinned by her neck where his hand squeezed just tight enough to keep her still and threatened with death, a horrific torment. For a time the clown just stared at her with that pathetic grin of self-satisfaction - not that she could see it - occasionally he took deep breaths to fill his lungs with her scent; coconut shampoo, adrenaline, metallic blood and something unique to Belle 'Lacey' French. She couldn't make eye contact, _wouldn't_ , and he didn't care enough to force her, Nottingham just stared at her beautiful form as anger surged through her.

"I thought you were nice." Her attacker growled out with rancid breath that pinned her in place."You said you thought I was handsome but you _lied_!"

Belle froze, could it be? No! No, this couldn't be happening. Was this all her fault?

"Sheriff?" Her question was almost inaudible, heart thudding around her ribcage.

Tears tumbled down her cheeks uncontrollably as his grip tightened around her throat, the other hand slid up her smooth thigh.

"P- please... stop." She begged desperately, voice hardly audible.

Nottingham's mouth opened behind the mask but no word ever managed to slip free because without warning came a bang, louder than any Belle had ever been subjected to before – sharp and powerful – which hurt her ears. She blinked as her brain tried to catch up and Keith fell down to the ground with a dense thud. In that moment Belle's legs gave out from under her and she slipped down the wall to the floor as she shook with something she couldn't identify as shock or relief. Less than a second later the clown was gone, scurried away down the large central hall to fuck knew where. That hall had given Nottingham access to the entire house, he could have literally gone _anywhere._

Elias was at her side then and Belle finally knew what the bang had been, Gold had shot him. He quickly pulled her into his arms and just held her, tight and protectively which felt more as if he was clinging to her for dear life; maybe he was.

"Belle, you have to go back to the panic room." Every bone in his body vibrated with urgency.

"Not without you." She insisted quickly, as she tried to get her breath back.

Her ears continued to ring and she was certain her neck would bruise, Belle didn't even want to think about the back of her head.

"You have to, Belle." He told her hastily. "And I need to find Ruby."

How that man believed he was a coward was completely beyond Belle, the only word she could think of to describe him in that moment was brave. Unfortunately he was right though, she had to go back to the panic room, she'd be of no use in such a state of shock. She'd only left because she'd wanted to help her friends and she'd done that, now it was time to protect her.

"Okay." She finally agreed though somewhat reluctantly.

Gold pressed his lips to her own for a moment, it wasn't passionate but needy, he had to kiss her, taste her, because if he was going to die he was going to do it while still being able to feel her soft lips against his.

Gently he pulled Belle up onto shaky feet and pushed her off towards the stairs before following the direction Nottingham had fled in. It was almost as though there were two of Mister Gold, the first was the ruthless House Of Scarlet owner that no one dared cross, while the second was Elias, a man far braver than he believed himself to be, a man who held Belle's heart in his hands. Belle didn't need a knight in shining armor, she had Gold in a perfectly tailored suit.

Each step Belle took up the back stairs was slower than her last, fear rose in her blood that the next step would be when Sheriff jumped out and all would go black. It didn't happen though. No one jumped out, no strange sounds gave her pause but anticipation tortured her; just like an old black and white horror film. She made her way passed Jefferson's office and the bedroom he shared with Victor as she headed towards Gold's room; she hugged the chocolate colored wall as she went, eyes darted back and forth along the seemingly endless hallway. In front; nothing. Behind; no one. Blue eyes darted behind her again but still the hallway remained empty. Fearing he'd creep up behind her again Belle started to walk backwards towards Elias' bedroom, her breathing continued to race which forced her chest to rise and fall erratically. Any second he would turn the corner and charge at her, wouldn't he? _Wouldn't he?!_ No, Sheriff was nowhere in sight, and then she bumped into something. At first her desperation told her it was just the wall or bedroom door, but her mind knew the truth. A large right arm that smelt of sweat and stale beer scooped her up and Nottingham pulled her to him while the other hand threw what looked like a pile of thick fabric down on the ground for her to see. Was that kevlar?

"I came prepared, _Lacey_." He growled out her name. "It's amazing what you can buy online." His breath trailed over her skin sending it purified and slimy. "You smell so good."

How had he gotten to outside Gold's office before she had?

Without even thinking about it Belle slammed her head back and struck Nottingham in his clown mask coated face which freed her of his grasp, she hauled ass down the hall and out of sight, her heart in her mouth. She didn't do it to escape, to live, it was just to get his fowl hands off her. Belle didn't know where she was going, where she was running to, hopefully to Elias and safety.

She hurried blankly round the corner, down the back stairs again and through the first door she found. Everything was dark as she descended yet more stairs to a part of the house she'd never been to before. The basement, this darkness was the basement, had to have been. She ground to a halt unsure what was down there, how cluttered it might have been, as a high-pitched whirring sound rattled in her ear. In a hope to cover her panicked breaths she went towards the sound and finally found a heavy door which she pushed open; generator room. It was there for if the power ever went out to stop the site crashing, it must have kicked on at some point due to the storm.

Belle wasn't stupid, she knew the Sheriff would search the house for her and anyone else who still lived, her heart pounded in her chest. She collapsed on the floor for a moment and prayed her thoughts would return to a steady rhythm in the very near future, she breathed deeply calming her nerves.

 _Come on Belle! Stop being scared and do something to help, you can't just sit here panicking. Deep breaths and calm the fuck down._ Thankfully her body seemed to obey, though slowly. _Mulan and Aurora are in the panic room with Tink, Ashley and Ariel – they're safe. Victor and Jefferson aren't_ _even_ _in the house -_ _at least that was what Belle thought_ _\- and the others... are either missing or... or dead._ She couldn't let anyone else die, not when this was her fault. With her mind returned Belle forced herself to her feet and searched around for a flashlight with only the small red light on the generator and one of the camera display screens to aid her. Just when she thought her search would fail her foot kicked against a tool box by the generator, inside was her prize, a small silver flashlight. Belle clicked it on then darted out the room in search of the boiler room which turned out to be on the other side of the basement. The auburn-haired beauty rounded holiday decorations and other things which had basically been tossed out of sight and quickly hide away in the boiler room. Beside the boiler, were two screens which she hurried to, the first held temperature controls while the second had a display of the House Of Scarlet's cameras – Elias had told her about the separate circuit for his cameras months ago almost absent-mindedly – she scrolled through them quickly searching tirelessly for either the Sheriff or her friends.

"Got you." She even managed to smile slightly.

The crazed murderer continued to stalk the building in search of someone to kill no doubt. Belle continued to cycle through the mass of cameras finding almost nothing of help until finally, _finally,_ she found Elias in the kitchen with Ruby and Kyle – when Ruby had invited him to the house he'd probably thought he'd won the lottery, now though Kyle just wanted to go home – all of them were on edge. Belle had no idea where Gold had found Ruby and the shirtless man – maybe the play room since that was soundproofed – but she was thankful they were all right.

She could see Nottingham as he headed up and down hallways on the first floor checking doors; Nottingham was angry. She reached into her back pocket to grab the walkie Elias had given her what felt like forever ago now.

"Elias? Can you hear me, please God say you can hear me." She pleaded.

" _Yes, I can hear you Belle. I found Ruby and... whatever his name is."_ _He replied quickly._

"I'm in the boiler room looking at the camera's-" He cut her off quickly.

" _You're what!? I told you-"_ She returned the favor.

"I know, I know," she cut in, he could be mad at her later, "but I can see him. He's about to come down the main stairs, if you go through the back of the kitchen and up the back stairs he won't see you." _Be brave Belle, be brave._

Reluctantly Gold agreed and started to push Ruby through the kitchen, leaving Kyle to follow. Ruby liked to believe she was a brave person but nothing had ever prepared her for the horror this one man had caused, was what Elias had said about the others true? Were Tamara, Zelena and Cruella really dead? Had Tink really been thrown over the landing? One hand clung onto Elias' as he started to pull her towards the back stairs while the other held onto Kyle... until he let go.

"I- I'm sorry." He shook his head. "I can't. The front door is safer."

Gold opened his mouth to protest and Ruby reached for him but it was no use, Kyle had already made it halfway through the living room. Then Nottingham struck. Ruby screamed at the top of her lungs seeing the knife come down once, twice, thrice and a million more times after that but Gold continued to pull her; no easy task when his leg was still screaming at him, he really needed his cane.

Each downwards strike penetrated deep into the blond man's body and each retraction sprayed blood over the walls and floor, any furniture it came into contact with and even that god forsaken clown mask. The sound echoed up through his body into his ears forcing him to listen to his own death. Knife met flesh, pudgy and soft, making a sadistic squelching sound that was music to the Sheriff's ears, _he_ was the one to do this, _he_ was the one to take this man's life. The blade's tip sank deep enough to slice through muscle and splinter ribs forcing Kyle to let out a scream that would have been better described as a howl. The hard steel blade twisted into soft flesh almost shredding Kyle's lean body, opening him up to see what was inside; blood staining everything. Nottingham didn't care about this man – not as much as the others – he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time; just meant his blade's thirst was eased. Nottingham stabbed and stabbed with such ferocity that he didn't even notice when the tip of his blade broke off. The light finally left Kyle's eyes and granted him some peace with his death. Keith grinned behind the clown mask before he pushed himself to his bloody feet to continued his search.

_**'** _ _**After great pain a formal feeling comes-** _ **  
The nerves sit ceremonious like tombs;  
The stiff Heart questions-was it He that bore?  
And yesterday-or centuries before?** **'**

After Great Pain, A Formal Feeling Comes by Emily Dickenson


	18. Chapter 18

Keith continued to stalk the halls of The House Of Scarlet in search of more prey, it seemed the watering hole had started to run dry and he knew soon his fun would be over; didn't matter though since Lacey and the boss were to be his finale. He paused in the dark and pulled out his cell with a bloody hand to scroll through the cameras in search of another victim but was met with only static … that wasn't right. He'd ensured had full control of the cameras, no one could shut them off. He growled deep in the back of his throat. Finally he found a working camera down in the basement and smiled. Lacey had really surprised him.

Looking directly at the camera and holding a sheet of white paper was The House of Scarlet's newest cam girl – his golden ticket – oh, how he was looked forwards to killing her. All attention focused on her as he forgot about trying to find Gold, Ashley, Red and Ariel, fortunate because otherwise he'd have seen them as they ripped down the last of the cameras. Nottingham peered closer at his phone's tiny screen to read the note.

_**Come and get me, Sheriff** _

How could he resist that? It just wasn't possible. A grin appeared under the thick rubber of his rather ridiculous mask as thoughts of ripping her open for what she'd done filled his sick mind. Oh he'd kill her and he'd make it last.

Each long step Keith took echoed off the walls and carried him closer to the beautiful creature he'd soon murder, she wouldn't be beautiful then. The others inside The House Of Scarlet didn't matter to him quite like she and Elias Gold did. Lacey – or Belle, that was her true name – had betrayed him, made fun of him and Gold had started it all, he'd never had known Lacey had it not been for that Scotsman.

His work boots continued to thud as he descended the back stairs towards the basement door, everything grew darker and more eerie as he approached; a fitting atmosphere for a murder. His bloody knife itched to get back to work, wanted to add more strands of snapped hair to its necklace. The door creaked open with a long scream, but that may have been mostly in his head, he lingered there at the top of the basement stairs almost a full minute just to listen to silence's song.

As he stepped into the basement he found it almost completely pitch black save for a few little lights over by the boiler, subdued green-blue light that only just granted enough light for him to see old boxes piled up in corners and a wall of tools furthest from the door. In the corner by the boiler across from him he even saw an old St Andrew's cross and smirked underneath his mask; most people had Christmas decorations and old sports stuff in their basements but not The House of Scarlet.

The room wasn't overly large maybe ten by ten at most, the walls were just plain white and the wooden floor was old as well as worn; just a storage room, nothing special. He'd soon coat those boring plain walls with some color though, Nottingham grinned behind his mask again. In truth the basement's appearance honestly wasn't important though, the woman stood in the centre of it was. Lacey, no Belle, he needed to remember that.

“Hello again, Lacey.”

She looked him dead on with those magical blue eyes of hers and didn't flinch, the auburn haired beauty refused to be scared, to give him the satisfaction. He had killed her friends and wounded so many more; Zelena, Cruella, Will and Tamara were all dead. Mulan, Princess, Tink and Jefferson were fighting for their life with only Victor to help them. Gold's voice as he told her that they'd found the house manager and doctor still played in the back of her head. Graham and Robin were still missing; _they're probably dead too._ She'd felt so at home when Jefferson had first brought her to The House Of Scarlet, so at home. Ariel, Aurora and herself had splashed about in the pool laughing, Mulan had helped her with a workout in the gym that was tailored to her. Belle, Tink, Ashley and Ruby had taken shopping trips after their lectures and she'd been happy. The House Of Scarlet may have been a den of iniquity but it had become her home... and now The Sheriff had ripped it all away, even if any of them lived through this it would never be the same. The House Of Scarlet was dead.

“Hello, Sheriff.” She managed to answer without faltering; Gold would have been proud of her.

“Given up the chase?” His voice was muffled ever so slightly due to his mask. “I was having fun.”

“Take the mask off.” It wasn't a request, Belle was done being afraid.

“I guess so, I'd like me to the the last thing you ever see.”

With ease Nottingham removed the clown mask and dropped it to the scuffed floor then raked a hand through his hair so Belle could finally see his face, it was coated in a thick layer of sweat and stubble. His eyes looked manic which was a shame, what felt like forever ago when he'd sent her his picture she'd thought his eyes were rather beautiful. Not anymore, there was nothing but violence and death in them now as she stood there staring at him in the dark.

“So it is you.” Said another female voice. Keith looked over to see Ashley appear from behind a stack of boxes, she continued as his eyebrow raised. “We didn't believe her at first.”

“Did you bring me a present, Lacey? Another sexy young women to _gut_. And not just any young woman, Gold's favorite.” He glanced over at the blond. “Tell me, does Gold make you call him _Daddy_ when you creep into his room at night?” He giggled maniacally. “I'll get to you next, Baby.” Ashley cringed as Nottingham turned back to what he came for. “You brought this on your self, Lacey. You bitch, you laughed at me, you did this, you killed your fuck buddies when you pinned me to that noticeboard.”

“That's wasn't me!” She said with all the strength she could muster, she had to be brave and keep his attention just a little longer. “Zelena – Wick – _she_ did that, not me.”

“You expect me to believe that? No one ever believes a whore!” The knife glinted in the dull light, a sadistic reminder of all those dead. “You're a dead bitch!” He pointed at Belle with the knife, dry blood stained it.

“And you're stupid.” Said Belle, her voice shook ever so slightly. “You hunted us, but we lured you into a trap without you even noticing.”

“Where do you think Elias is?” Ashley asked rhetorically.

Nottingham shrugged anyway. “Pissing himself while he shivers in a box?”

“You really should have killed our boss first.” Belle added.

Before the expression of confusion had even fully formed on his face there was a loud bang that bounced of the walls and made the two women flinch. Nottingham fell to the ground with a hold in his chest to reveal Elias stood behind him with his gun as the barrel still smoked. Being shot wasn't like a knife through butter, no, it twisted and turned ripping through flesh and into the muscle behind, it wasn't really the bullet Nottingham felt go through his chest, instead, he felt his skin being torn apart before all the pain merged into one and he was face down on the floor coughing up blood. He'd thrown his vest at Belle when he'd grabbed her, there hadn't been anything to protect him from Gold's gun.

Calmly Gold stepped towards Keith as a pool of wine colored blood started to surround him while he continued to cough.

“Belle, Ashley, look away.” He told them without looking up. He reached down and rummaged through Keith's pockets for his cellphone and the signal jammer he'd been hauling around. “Better yet, go upstairs and call the police.”

“What are you going to do, Elias?” Belle asked despite having already figured it out.

“He hurt my girls.” Was the only answer they got; he still hadn't looked at them.

It was over, but none of them would ever be the same. A voice of nobility yelled at her, told her to stop him, that this vengeance was wrong no matter what. She'd always prided herself on being a good person, on doing the right thing but who knew when the storm would end, when the police would arrive. Belle silenced that voice inside her mind, it wasn't about being a good or bad person now, this had become about survival and Belle knew they could never be certain they'd survive the rest of the storm unless Nottingham died.

Silently Belle went to young Ashley and calmly guided her up and out of the basement, the last thing they heard was an ominous bang they knew they'd never speak of again.

**_Some say the world will end in fire,_ **   
**_Some say in ice._ **   
**_From what I’ve tasted of desire_ **   
**_I hold with those who favour fire._ **   
**_But if it had to perish twice,_ **   
**_I think I know enough of hate_ **   
**_To say that for destruction ice_ **   
**_Is also great_ **   
**_And would suffice._ **   
**_Fire And Ice By Robert Frost_ **

THE END.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The poem is by Robert Frost – personally my favorite poet, along with Poe - and is about how things will end. Fire is combustion or burning while ice is a brittle and transparent crystalline solid. What Frost is saying is that either everyone will fight and kill one another burning away at the world until there is nothing left (Fire), or humanity will become cold and hateful with no one being able to turn to anyone else for aid (Ice). Frost believed fire (war/gratuitous violence) to be more likely because humanity is prone to fight and murder but also believed the world was becoming inhospitable through greed, selfishness and general entitlement. In layman’s terms he thought that humanity would destroy itself because we don't have the ability to overcome our base instincts as a society/species.
> 
> Thank you for reading!!

**Author's Note:**

> Just in case it isn't clear which names the girls are using while on cameras all the names can be found on the floor plan.


End file.
